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MEA Reserves 5 Aircraft In Turkey As Conflict Precaution

Flights continue as normal, but Middle East Airlines staff are on standby in case more of the fleet needs to be relocated.

Published

3 years ago

October 18, 2023

Nour Nasir

mea reserves 5 aircraft in turkey as conflict precaution

Lebanese carrier Middle East Airlines (MEA) has chosen to relocate 5 of its 24 aircraft to Turkey as hostilities mount in Israel and Gaza.

So far, scheduled flights have not been affected by heightened regional tensions, despite Palestinian militants from Hamas clashing with IDF forces in what is now the deadliest conflict since 2006.

mea announcement 2023

A spokesperson from MEA said the planes had been moved to Istanbul airport over the weekend and would remain there for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, the remaining 19 aircraft in the fleet are operating normally.

Middle East Airlines staff are also on standby to implement an emergency plan to move the rest of the airliners if the situation worsens.

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“It’s a plan in case of an emergency. God willing, we won’t need it,” explained the MEA spokesperson.

Back in 2006, the Lebanese carrier diverted all its planes from Beirut airport at the start of the month-long 2006 war, which was responsible for the deaths of 1,200 Lebanese citizens. The airport was later bombed, rendering it inoperable.

Related Topics:Aviation Lebanon Middle East Airlines

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For etisalat, More Bandwidth Is A Matter Of Digital Sovereignty

The etisalat group plans to expand its international capacity from 20 Tbps to more than 500 Tbps by 2030, with new routes designed for speed and resilience.

Published

2 days ago

October 6, 2026

Nour Nasir

for etisalat, more bandwidth is a matter of digital sovereignty

Emirates News Agency

By 2030, etisalat group plans to lift its international connectivity capacity to more than 500 terabits per second (Tbps), more than 25 times the 20 Tbps it has today. The group presented the expansion as preparation for rising AI demand and an important move for the UAE’s digital sovereignty.

His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, witnessed the launch of the project, which covers the UAE and international markets. Sheikh Mansour is also Chairman of the Emirates Investment Authority, etisalat group’s main shareholder.

He emphasized the role of coordinated national efforts in advancing the UAE’s AI and digital economy ambitions. “AI is a central pillar in our development journey moving forward,” he said, adding that developing the country’s digital capabilities would empower every institution, public and private, to build and innovate with AI “at the scale the coming decade will demand”.

“This project reflects our conviction that the UAE should not simply adopt AI, but govern it and build with it,” said H.E Jassem Mohamed Bu Ataba Alzaabi, Chairman of etisalat group. “That requires digital infrastructure at a scale that would prepare us for the future”. He cast greater international connectivity as a strategic answer to the challenges of processing and moving data globally.

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Beyond raw bandwidth, the expansion will introduce new connectivity routes intended to improve reliability and efficiency, and Alzaabi tied them directly to the sovereignty goal. “Delivered through diversified routes and low-latency design, the project is set to keep the country’s connection to the global digital economy fast, direct and resilient, while ensuring the UAE’s digital sovereignty,” he said.

He also linked the plan to the group’s 50-year commitment to building infrastructure for the nation. The announcement didn’t mention what the expansion will cost. Nor did it name the new routes or say who will build them, the details that would show what digital sovereignty means in practice.