(Arabic: طيران الشرق الأوسط ـ الخطوط الجوية اللبنانية, romanized: Ṭayyarān al-Sharq al-Awsaṭ – al-Khuṭūṭ al-jawiyyah al-lubnāniyyah), more commonly known as Middle East Airlines (MEA) (Arabic: طيران الشرق الأوسط, romanized: Ṭayyarān al-Sharq al-Awsaṭ), is the flag carrier of Lebanon, with its head office in Beirut,[4] near Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport.

Middle East Airlines - Air Liban was founded on 31 May 1945 by Saeb Salam and Fawzi EL-Hoss with operational and technical support from BOAC.

A Vickers Viscount was introduced in October 1955 while an Avro York cargo aircraft was leased in June 1957.

MEA had to adjust its operations due to the Lebanese Civil War between 1975 and 1991 but continued services despite multiple closures of the base at Beirut International Airport.

In November 2011, MEA's pilots union staged a 48-hour strike after a captain undergoing cancer treatment was dismissed shortly after going on sick leave.

On 12 December 2018, the then-Prime Minister of Lebanon, Saad Hariri, signed an order with engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce Holdings for four Airbus A330-900s.

[21] During the 2019 Paris Air Show, the airline became the launch customer for the A321XLR: four XLRs were ordered, intended for use on routes to Africa and Asia.

Golden Cedar and President's Club offer additional benefits, including guaranteed economy seat reservation.