Middle East Airlines Moves Some Aircraft To Istanbul For Storage

Middle East Airlines (MEA) will store a handful of its aircraft in Istanbul due to concerns over the developing Gaza conflict. The airline says its schedule remains unaffected and operations will continue as normal.

MEA moves fleet as a precaution

As the Israel-Hamas conflict threatens to spill out into the wider region, Lebanese flag carrier MEA has decided to park some of its aircraft at Istanbul Airport (IST) as a “precautionary measure.” An internal memo seen by Air Plus News said five planes – four Airbus A321neos and one Airbus A330 – will be parked in Istanbul.

The move comes amid concerns that Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY) could be a military target for bombings – last week, Israel launched strikes against airports in Syria and previously bombed Beirut’s main airport in 2006. Israeli forces have been involved in skirmish battles with armed groups in Lebanon, with some airlines already cutting services to Lebanon.

Photo: Flightradar24

Data from Flightradar24 reveals four of the five jets (registration: T7-ME3, T7-ME4, T7-ME5 and OD-MEB) have already arrived in Turkey between October 13th and 15th. At this stage, it isn’t clear which A321neo will be the fifth and final aircraft to enter storage, as MEA operates six more of this type.

Emergency plan if necessary

The carrier says it has an emergency plan “it may adopt” depending on how the regional situation unfolds, but hopes it will not be forced to do so. Presumably, this would involve moving most, if not all, of its fleet out of the region if the conflict escalates.

Photo: Airbus

MEA planes have made headlines in the past after being struck by stray bullets fired during celebrations. One such incident occurred in November 2022 when a bullet fired from the ground put a hole in the fuselage of an MEA A320 as it approached Beirut. Then, just a few weeks later, two MEA A321neos were damaged by guns fired into the air during New Year’s celebrations.

Operations unaffected

Despite grounding almost a quarter of its 21-strong fleet, MEA says the move “will not in any way” impact its daily operations.

Photo: Airbus

This is because it comes at the end of the low season, with the airline currently able to fulfill its schedule with its remaining 16 aircraft (nine Airbus A320s, four A321neos and three A330s). However, if the Gaza conflict goes on for a prolonged period, MEA may face capacity issues if a sizable chunk of its fleet remains grounded.

Do you think Middle Eastern Airlines (MEA) has made the right choice in storing some its fleet in Istanbul? Let us know in the comments.

Source: Flightradar24