In fact, every flight with an MEA is a proof of what a modern airline the Lebanese have. MEA established in 1945 and faced as most of the Lebanese the war. MEA today's standards is by far higher than any European airliner or American airliner.
Today's flight is the shortest operated flight by MEA from Lebanon to our neighbor Cyprus. The flight duration is 25 minutes. However, you still get a good service and on-board duty free shopping regardless of this short time.
Again because of being a holder of Banque Audi Platinum Mastercard I was granted an access to the Cedar Lounge. A view for the late after noon movement at OLBA.
Immediated boarding was completed. From my window i started taking snap shots for that evening departing traffic inclduing an Egyptair A320 and Emirates A330-200.
Because this sector is short, MEA cabin crew immediately distributed to us juice globets. In fact, you can have of these as much as you want.
Take-off was smooth and we had a great view of Beirut.
MEA cabin with its outstanding IFE systems
We started our landing to Larnaca 15 minutes after our take-off :P. We landed on runway 22 and parked near Emirates A340-300.
Larnaca Morning
Hello And Thank You For this FR!
The MEA scores are spot-on for such a sector and I can't see anything that can be improved for a 25 minutes flight. Excellent indeed.
However I feel you're too generous with some of the scores especially regarding the Cedar Lounge and OLBA, let me explain:
Services and staff attitudes is nowhere near a 10, more like a 8. The restrooms are not very clean and small. I've always found the staff to be adequate but not exemplary. The business center also seems empty or nonoperational every time I'm there.
Catering based on my many ventures there was not worth a perfect score, there was always a lack of fine materials and a heavy reliance on industrial cheese and cold pastries. Liquids fare much better.
Regarding OLBA: Services and activities is definitely not a 10. The duty-free is small and uninteresting and boredom settles in pretty quick.
General cleanliness is great but those restrooms lack proper attention. 8.5-9 suits it better.
I might be nitpicking but having spent so much time in OLBA and in the Cedar Lounge I feel like the scores don't reflect what I experience on a monthly basis.
Providing more pictures and information would help us understand why the scores are as they are.
Thanks Again!
Actually I fly every weekend with MEA from and to Beirut, and never felt bored in the Departure area :) A lot of places to be distracted in. Please note that the duty is improving every year and very much. :)
Thanks for sharing this experience with us. Although I have flown MEA and found it a good airline I think that you are a bit over enthousiatic in your grades !