Middle East Airlines (MEA) has formally joined the global airline alliance SkyTeam, becoming its 17th member and second anchor in the fast growing Middle East region.

MEA is the second airline in the MENA region to join SkyTeam in addition to Saudi Arabian Airlines that has joined at the end of May-2012, thus expanding SkyTeam in the region.

Traffic was halted for two hours at Rafik Hariri International Airport as employees joined the strike of the General Labor Confederation, causing delays in several flights.

The National News Agency said seven departing and arriving flights were affected by the strike of Middle East Airlines employees that started at 11:00 am.

Middle East Airlines pilots announced that they will end their strike at midnight on Saturday as the company declared continuing its flights on Sunday afternoon according to the scheduled dates.

The pilots union announced in a press conference on Saturday that their strike “will end at midnight,” the National News Agency reported.

Flag carrier Middle East Airlines (MEA) was grounded in the Lebanese capital on Tuesday as pilots staged a 48-hour strike over the dismissal of a colleague undergoing treatment for cancer.

"We have grounded 10 out of 15 flights today," said Captain Fadi Khalil, head of the pilots' union.

Pilots at Lebanon's national carrier, Middle East Airlines (MEA), on Monday overwhelmingly voted in favor of a 48-hour strike in protest at the dismissal of a colleague undergoing cancer treatment.

The pilots' union said in a statement that the employee was fired while he was on sick leave and therefore his sacking “violates the labor law.”

Pilots at Lebanon's national carrier are delaying outgoing flights to protest a decision by the company's administration to fire a pilot who is undergoing medical treatment.

The pilots union said in a statement on Friday that all Middle East Airlines flights departing between 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm to the Gulf will be delayed by two hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun criticized on Tuesday the opposition’s attack on the new government, labeling it as “rude” because a new cabinet should be granted a 100-day grace period.

He said after the movement’s weekly meeting: “They didn’t appreciate our ‘one way ticket’ joke. A new ward is being prepared for them in Roumieh prison and they will be granted a ‘one way in’ ticket for it.”

Unrest across the Arab world combined with a government void in Lebanon and upheaval in neighboring Syria have dealt a severe blow to Beirut's economy and dashed hopes of a record tourist season.

"Business has dropped 40 percent in the first six months of 2011," lamented Pierre Achkar, head of Lebanon's hotel syndicate.

A Middle East Airlines plane with 231 passengers aboard bound to Beirut from Heathrow airport witnessed trouble last week, reported UK’s Daily Mail.

Trouble erupted after the plane had to abort a 5:00 pm take-off on Thursday, having already missed its original 1:00 pm departure slot.

Middle East Airlines (MEA) will purchase an Airbus A320-232 airplane for $32 million through a 10-year financing deal with Fransabank.

MEA President Mohammed Hout signed the agreement with the bank’s chairman Adel al-Kassar at Fransabank’s headquarters in Beirut’s Hamra street.