This fixed and steady profitability and the determination to expand by purchasing new aircraft will certainly lead to an increase in the number of flights and destinations. MEA is recording these achievements at a time of rough and unsuitable conditions – this means bigger marks should be awarded for this success than that achieved by other companies experiencing conditions that are suitable, facilitating and encouraging for growth and expansion.

Thus, the story of MEA’s continuing success since 2002 takes on special importance and gives us indications about the effectiveness of MEA’s management, led by its Chairman- Director General, Mohamad El-Hout. It also speaks volumes about the policy that has been adopted when it comes to operations, controlling expenditures, or improving services, as MEA has captured a fixed and constant niche market in recent years. However, we should note that this success has been achieved under various unsuitable conditions, as detailed below. Zero Growth

MEA operates in an unstable climate, in terms of both politics and security. The nature of this climate is hostile to all economic activities, especially travel, due to its connection to tourism, business and the movement of investors and businesspeople. This unstable climate is reflected in the figures for the movement of passengers at Rafic Hariri International Airport. The number of passengers in 2007 equaled that of 2005, which registered the same number as 1974. In practical terms, this means that MEA has been functioning in a situation of zero growth for 35 years. This is also reflected in the load factor at Rafic Hariri Int’l Airport - Beirut, which recorded a mean average over the year of 60%, while the world average for airports in 2007 stood at 74-75%.