Registered in San Morino means that the plane is part of a leasing deal instead of actually buying the plane ... Royal Jordanian Airlines does the same thing ... this guarantees new planes every couple of years for less maintenance costs that becomes the responsibility of the leasing company
Have to say Josh, as a Dortmund fan I do feel sorry for Schalke this year. They are probably going to get relegated and Covid-19 (empty stadiums) kind of steals the fun when there is no Revierderby!
I'm from Lebanon. Please don't think that Lebanon is bad because of this unfortunate experience. I know our airline isn't the best but our country as a whole certainly is in terms of culture and natural beauty. With love from Beirut
Just a suggestion on a proposed trip to Syria. Not a good time to go at all. I was, there 20 years ago as my family are from Syria it was so beautiful, then the war started. I would not suggest that you go at this stage.
@@beyondthestars4299 Of course government control urban area is fine, but the beautiful outskirt, all those heritage site is still limiting in access, and most importantly securing transport as an obviously foreign national is still tough. TBH I wouldn't go to Syria if all I do in stuck in Damascus, nice city, love it, just not enough to warrant entire trip though.
If you're curious, MEA cabin crew salaries are in the 75 - 100 usd range now and haven't recieved any ajustment to their salaries since the local currency started crumbling in late 2019. Over a third of them have resigned.
@tarek988: that might be right with the salary, but it also depends how much money You need in a country for a "normal Life"! Like how much You have to pay for Living, Bread or Fruits or Vegetables in a SuperMarket! I know countries where You earn € 400,- a month and pay f.E. in restaurants € 0,80 for a beer, and other countries, where You earn for the same job € 1200,-, and You pay for a beer € 3,60!
I had a racist American Airlines employee call airport police on me for being part asian. Ironically for her the responding officer who showed up was East Asian like me and thankfully realized she was being a racist Karen. I’m never flying American Airlines ever again after dealing with their racist employee. On Christmas Day too in front of my kid having to see me experience racism in front of her.
hello, Very nice review I am Lebanese and I travel almost every month from Paris to Lebanon using mostly the new a321. I understood what you meant about the crew, but since the beginning of the crisis till this day there has been a major upgrade in the staff's quality and friendliness. I am not sure if they were given a new training but I am pretty sure the covid crisis made them more sketchy. Enjoy your flights and have safe trips
San Marino and Lebanon have signed the transfers of safety oversight contract for effective implementation of the safety-related Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs).
@@souheil_sinno BOC Aviation signed a Purchase and Leaseback agreement with MEA. With a minimum of 5 A321neo's and the option for five more in the future.
How interesting! Could you expand a little bit? Is it that Lebanon sort of buys certification oversight etc from San Marino? How come San Marino can offer that? Company providing that service is domiciled in San Marino, and everyone benefits? Does this have implications wrt EASA? San Marino is not a member of EASA, but do they have an easier negotiation/cooperation route than politically less stable countries (such as Lebanon) would have? (A quick google tangentially threw up some press-releases about this or that private jet operator choosing to register in San Marino - is San Marino (or do they plan/want to be) sort of a "convenience flag" (in the good sense) for aviation?)
@@Asptuber I think "flag of convenience" is correct. San Marino is roughly the size of my garden. It's like all the cruise ships which are registered in Liberia, not know as a cruise stopover 😂🤣
My MEA experience from brussels to Dubai in economy class in march 2020 was really good. The service was good. The food was good and they were punctual. The immigration at beirut was a bit weird though.
Some airlines choose to have its airliners registered in other countries (when an agrement between the two countries exists, of course) for various reasons. Sometimes taxes are higher in some countries (the ownership of an airliner). Also for legal matters. I worked for a cruise line in the United States and all of its huge ships were not registered in the US, but in the Bahamas. Upon leaving the company I discovered some reasons why it happened. (1) taxes were cheaper (2) if a former employee decided to sue the company for any reasons, it had to be done in the Bahamas, although everybody knew they were an American company.
Glad to see you flying with our Airlines, I really enjoy each and every adventure you are sharing. Despite the economical problems we are passing through, i guess Beirut still have some power to show some love to our visitors! Hope to see you again in the country. Cheers!
At 13:49 I saw an MEA plane with its old colors at the airport. Very nice. I like their newest look too. It is amazing. But I loved their looks from the 60's 70's and 80's.
I love traveling and seeing different places and cultures, so enjoyed and enjoy your videos while learning a bit about aviation too. Gorgeous plane! Thanks Josh!
The crew thing ? I have found this to be the case with some airlines, some crews can make your flight, and others seem to think they are better than you because they work on an airline,all boils down to the training. Good video!!
Welcome to my country Lebanon even if you passed as transit 🇱🇧 Great report about my country airline MEA . I love your authentic reviews Josh keep it up 👍👍
I use MEA alot and I don't consider the cabin crew rude they are very nice towards the children and adults and in the past they gave out free toys to children aswell
With MEA it’s either a hit or miss. I’ve had amazing flights with them with the crew being super helpful and nice, and others where they’ve been rude and unhelpful. A few employees’ attitudes definitely doesn’t reflect on the entire airline, that’s for sure. Overall, I’ll say they’re one of the best airlines I’ve flown with, in terms of comfort, very generous legroom; cleanliness, never had a dirty or smelly seat, toilets always very clean; food is amazing, of course typical Lebanese and entertainment is good. Most of the time they’re ontime as well. (EDIT: I hadn’t watched the video yet before writing this comment, you’re 100% spot on and honest)
The crew has a terrible attitude mainly because of the miserable economic and political situation in Lebanon, where the currency has devaluated by more than 90%. I am sure this significantly affects their morale just like every other Lebanese person suffering.
*Very true. Thank you for mentioning this, because not many foreigners know how difficult life has become today to most Lebanese. A lot of them lost most of their hard-earned life savings, due to this severe downturn in the Lebanese economy.*
I think the MEA Neo looks amazing! I would definitely like to try them in the future, although I would hope the crew have been given some improved training. Having a good crew that show an interest in the customer and their job, can make all the difference to a flight experience. ✈️
Great review. I don't know how I feel about the use of singe-aisle aircraft for long-haul routes. Seats could be similar, but in bigger aircraft you can move a little around, they are more roomy and also steady in flight. You can really tell the difference when you connect from a long-haul to a medium/short-haul flight now. So yes, long live wide-bodies ! :)
I've tried the neo as airbus 320 Gulf Air from Bahrain to Amman (Jordan) The seats were really comfortable unlike the regular a320. That was months before COVID.
Enjoyed your review, and those aircraft are really nice. I know that the crew wasn't overly friendly, but remember, they are working during COVID, and have probably not been vaccinated. I'm sure they look at each passenger as the one possibly giving them COVID. Heck, I give them credit for even working with the public during a pandemic.
I went away for my birthday on a planehopping trip around Europe, when I left, I was 49 and slept on airportfloors and benches, but after a week of partying in Amsterdam I was 50 years old, and on the way home I actually paid for a capsule on one airport, and due to a delay got an hotelroom for free on another, so the age limit seems to be exactly 50 for ruffing it. (it was an 24/7 party week in Amsterdam too, it might have taken a toll on my stamina) Yu got many years of ruff sleeping left in you!
Nice video and shots of the A321Neo, I enjoy watching these videos. Also, I wouldn't judge a travel experience on an airliner based on how nice the crew was. The first and mandatory purpose of the crew is to assist you, during your flight, be it uneventful or during stressing moments. A crew that smiles to you when you enter the plane, that gives you a nice face during your meal services, etc., those are all 'nice to have's' but not really differentiators, definitely not minimums to compete either, when evaluating an airliner offering.
MEA's new A321neos remind me of their old classic A321-231s from 2003, the ones with white paint on the outside with just the MEA title, green and blue seats which were thick and cozy and outdated IFE that had just 9 channels to watch and a 90's retro map. Thats it! I used to fly onboard MEA's classic old A321s frequently and seeing their new A321neos, brings back to my childhood nostalgia days.
It's really sad to hear that :/ Lebanon is struggling a lot and personally my MEA experiences were always amazing. Not saying that he's revuew sucks I'm just saying that it's sad
Don't you ever get cold wearing shorts? I know that after a few hours flying, my body temperature goes down, plus less oxygen in the old planes. Even my feet start swelling! Love the videos and enjoy your adventures. Thanks ☺️
@@thihal123 to be honest with you, Josh is undoubtedly a huge airline customer who knows what to wear. I know that before I take a long flight, I take plenty of rest and eat a lot. Never ever drink alcohol!! Worst experience ever. The trick is to feel completely relaxed and enjoy the experience.
Josh, I have been flying around the world for 60 years and have seen airlines come and go as well as reputations rise and fall - and back again. I have engaged many cabin crew in conversations during long-haul flights over the years including half an hour chatting to a 747 Captain between LA and Sydney. There are many overlapping issues which can determine a flight experience and I believe that money/corporate greed drive most of them. Tight budgets obviously cause such things as poor training, catering quality and disgruntled crew and the same could be said for the opposite. It's true that one crew member with a poor attitude can ruin an experience on any one day but as many viewers point out its not always a reflection of an entire airline. You are covering the right subjects and I appreciate your down-to-earth honesty and perspective. Keep it up!
We flew MEA pre covid from London and found the same to be true, cabin crew with attitudes that seemed to really hate their jobs. Very unapproachable and any requests were met with a hostile look - apart from that everything else was fine to be honest
I attribute the female flight attendants' lack of friendliness to the fact that this is a Middle Eastern airline and many Middle Eastern passengers will consider a female flight attendant who is too friendly and too generous with her smiles at men (specially Western men) a loose woman. In addition, this was the RETURN leg of a turn-around flight which had just arrived from Beirut. So, after a three and a half hour flight from Beirut, and probably about an hour or more on the ground, those flight attendants were probably a little tired. Besides, they had to perform all their duties wearing those MISERABLE masks! Who WOULDN"T be grouchy under those circumstances???
MEA is my favourite airline and regulatory I use it when I travel from Lebanon to Europe. It has a great history and was one of the best airlines in the sixties. Professional staff and the food are always the best besides the hospitality.
About the San Marino registration, it could be that the plane is actually leased by MEA and not owned. The leasing agency may have registered it in San Marino.
I have been a flight crew member for 20 plus years...I wish people would stand up to poor treatment. Its so arrogant how we treat our customers and never answer for it ..YOU ALL DESERVE BETTER! especially as we are government subsidized even in the USA...Im sorry we suck so bad...im serious and embarrassed.
The fact that the aircraft was registered in San Marino is probably because the plane is owned by a leasing company which is probably based in San Marino to avoid paying taxes.
Your reviews are smashing and spot on, I can only see an airline being happy to have a not so secret shopper showing them at NO cost to them how they are doing.
Luckily, I’ve never been on a flight where the crew was rude. I’ve had some that weren’t very excited to be serving, but it they were still attentive and did a their jobs. I think it would be unnerving to have a rude crew. Kind of makes you feel unsafe. I’ve had some crews that were downright entertaining! Funny announcements and tasteful wisecracks throughout the flight! That’s always fun.
The lounge looks really nice. Thanks for the review! Another nice PP lounge is the Plaza Mayor lounge in T4 of Madrid. It just happened that I released a review myself. Would appreciate it to get your feedback on the video. Cheers, TOKO Explore
Great video, as someone who travels often for work (up to 10 flights per week pre-COVID) , it is nice to see videos that show the true travel experience. Such as long layovers, rude crew, inconsiderate passengers, early mornings or late nights and economy class, not just business class. Keep up the good work.
Clickbait video title, but I won't complain too much because the video was quite interesting. So I'm happy I clicked, and only a tiny bit miffed that the "crew ruins" didn't really have any major substance to it. But then I'm a Finn, so what some nationalities consider rude or grumpy I hardly notice :-)
Hi Josh: The A321 NEO is very good aircraft, Beirut airport is really nice. However, I am not sure what you mean by the MEA "Crew Ruins The Experience". Who are you comparing them to ?
Based on your title I don’t understand . Was the crew verbally rude ? Did they not allow you to film ? We’re they rolling their eyes ? I was expecting some sort of confrontation .
They’re not rude or verbally abusive, but they are not friendly at all. You try and be friendly with them, but they seem to despise that they have to interact with you. A stark contrast to the Gulf countries’ airlines.
I appreciate that you use the crew attitude as a variable. Others out there focus on both the hard and soft product but rarely touch on the human factor. Also, some of the others "church it up" a bit too much for my liking. Travel isnt always rainbows and unicorns.
Last January, I nearly bought a one way £120 flight from Auckland to London on the MEA website.... via Dubai, Beirut and Istanbul. But the reviews and 40 hour travel time put me off 😂
@@russiandrivers9986 I already had a return flight two days earlier. With Emirates with Bali and Dubai. I was tempted to stay an extra two days but it wasn’t worth it ;)
I agree on that attitude that they have. The point is that they either ate that job or they feel too important. Same attitude had in the past Alitalia flight attendants, now probably not not anymore since many were fired or will soon be fired due to airline difficulties.
T7- is a tax free state so cheaper to register/lease aircraft there rather than pay more for home OD- .. There are quite a few T7- bizjets these days, bet they have never been to San Marino. Great vlog.👍
Many carriers will register aircraft in a different country for a number of reasons 1) some airlines operate in countries that are banned from flying in certain airspaces so you register the aircraft in a different country and continue to operate. 2) the government of Lebanon has many international debts as the main shareholder in the airline their aircraft could be seized. Therefore you register the aircraft in a different country and a different ownership and then lease from that company 3) if the aircraft is leased... the leasing company might not want the aircraft under a Lebanese registration due to the current financial and economic situation in the country
i love ur vids soo much cahill u arsent like other youtubers who get paid by the airline for saying an amazing expirience but u , u r the most honest youtuiber ever thank u cahill for goiving true expiriences
Registered in San Marino most likely for two reasons: fees to operate on the tarmac in various countries are dependent upon the regulations regarding the country in which the plane is registered... They are allowed on the ground for so many hours dependent upon what country under which it is registered... also code share regulations.
Just curious about the Cabin Crew on strike in the title? Unsure which flight its pertaining to as you got a meal service on both. Economy looks awesome but Business Class nothing special. I actually joined in that live stream in the lounge lol👍
Please follow me on instagram.com/gotravelyourway for daily updates!
Hello sir big fan do visit india
Registered in San Morino means that the plane is part of a leasing deal instead of actually buying the plane ... Royal Jordanian Airlines does the same thing ... this guarantees new planes every couple of years for less maintenance costs that becomes the responsibility of the leasing company
that 10,000th plane was also hit by stray bullets last January
Heyyyy 👋 Josh Cahill please visit to Kenya
Have to say Josh, as a Dortmund fan I do feel sorry for Schalke this year. They are probably going to get relegated and Covid-19 (empty stadiums) kind of steals the fun when there is no Revierderby!
I'm from Lebanon. Please don't think that Lebanon is bad because of this unfortunate experience. I know our airline isn't the best but our country as a whole certainly is in terms of culture and natural beauty. With love from Beirut
Also not all Lebanese girls have that "attitude "you talk about.
@@lebanesemapping52 most I have met do have a slight touch which I find really interesting
@@speen9430 Do you mean arrogant?or what kind of attitude?
I love Lebanon 🇱🇧 I’m feel that I’m half Mexican and half Lebanese ❤️
me too im from lebanon electricity is 💩
Not many countries with a wrecked economy and infrastructure have a business class lounge as good as the one in Beirut!
The 'wrecked' hits much harder when u think of the explosion.
😞
Yeah, the US has a wrecked economy and infrastructure and all we get in business lounges is ritz crackers. What up with that?
@@BillLaBrie lebanese ppl have class
@@theoi9783 Yeah just a pity that they live in a shit hole with nothing, and no hope!
Josh: I don't know how I feel about flying over Syrian Airspace
Also Josh: I really wanna go to Syria next year
Just a suggestion on a proposed trip to Syria. Not a good time to go at all. I was, there 20 years ago as my family are from Syria it was so beautiful, then the war started. I would not suggest that you go at this stage.
@@abdullahjacques2915 back off, the capital is fine and everything Is open
@M U brainwashed by media
@M U I am.
You better do
@@beyondthestars4299 Of course government control urban area is fine, but the beautiful outskirt, all those heritage site is still limiting in access, and most importantly securing transport as an obviously foreign national is still tough.
TBH I wouldn't go to Syria if all I do in stuck in Damascus, nice city, love it, just not enough to warrant entire trip though.
If you're curious, MEA cabin crew salaries are in the 75 - 100 usd range now and haven't recieved any ajustment to their salaries since the local currency started crumbling in late 2019. Over a third of them have resigned.
That's true!
but they could at least make the passengers feel welcome...
75usd/mo is too low!!! Unimaginable.
Do all airlines allow you in the lounge with business class? Or is first class only allowed in the lounge.
@tarek988: that might be right with the salary, but it also depends how much money You need in a country for a "normal Life"! Like how much You have to pay for Living, Bread or Fruits or Vegetables in a SuperMarket! I know countries where You earn € 400,- a month and pay f.E. in restaurants € 0,80 for a beer, and other countries, where You earn for the same job € 1200,-, and You pay for a beer € 3,60!
"Crew ruins the experience" American Airlines in a nutshell lol
very correct
Sounds like Air Canada!
They always look so scruffy! The female FA’s have their hair all over
Agree
I had a racist American Airlines employee call airport police on me for being part asian. Ironically for her the responding officer who showed up was East Asian like me and thankfully realized she was being a racist Karen. I’m never flying American Airlines ever again after dealing with their racist employee. On Christmas Day too in front of my kid having to see me experience racism in front of her.
hello,
Very nice review
I am Lebanese and I travel almost every month from Paris to Lebanon using mostly the new a321.
I understood what you meant about the crew, but since the beginning of the crisis till this day there has been a major upgrade in the staff's quality and friendliness.
I am not sure if they were given a new training but I am pretty sure the covid crisis made them more sketchy.
Enjoy your flights and have safe trips
San Marino and Lebanon have signed the transfers of safety oversight contract for effective implementation of the safety-related Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs).
@@a.nelprober4971 Not leased at all. Purchased and 100% owned by MEA. It is registered in San Marino as they have signed a safety oversight contract
@@souheil_sinno BOC Aviation signed a Purchase and Leaseback agreement with MEA. With a minimum of 5 A321neo's and the option for five more in the future.
How interesting!
Could you expand a little bit? Is it that Lebanon sort of buys certification oversight etc from San Marino? How come San Marino can offer that? Company providing that service is domiciled in San Marino, and everyone benefits?
Does this have implications wrt EASA? San Marino is not a member of EASA, but do they have an easier negotiation/cooperation route than politically less stable countries (such as Lebanon) would have?
(A quick google tangentially threw up some press-releases about this or that private jet operator choosing to register in San Marino - is San Marino (or do they plan/want to be) sort of a "convenience flag" (in the good sense) for aviation?)
@@Asptuber I think "flag of convenience" is correct. San Marino is roughly the size of my garden. It's like all the cruise ships which are registered in Liberia, not know as a cruise stopover 😂🤣
My MEA experience from brussels to Dubai in economy class in march 2020 was really good. The service was good. The food was good and they were punctual. The immigration at beirut was a bit weird though.
Why weird? Explain what happened
Some airlines choose to have its airliners registered in other countries (when an agrement between the two countries exists, of course) for various reasons. Sometimes taxes are higher in some countries (the ownership of an airliner). Also for legal matters. I worked for a cruise line in the United States and all of its huge ships were not registered in the US, but in the Bahamas. Upon leaving the company I discovered some reasons why it happened. (1) taxes were cheaper (2) if a former employee decided to sue the company for any reasons, it had to be done in the Bahamas, although everybody knew they were an American company.
Confusing.... Was waiting and waiting to SEE the crew that ruined it for you!!
Glad to see you flying with our Airlines, I really enjoy each and every adventure you are sharing. Despite the economical problems we are passing through, i guess Beirut still have some power to show some love to our visitors! Hope to see you again in the country. Cheers!
People are usually skeptical about plane food, but I really enjoy the food on MEA flights, always spot on and delicious.
Yeah MEA probably has the best food out of all the airlines I had
If you want to see attitude, try flying Air Canada! Your Lebanon flight looked "AWESOME"!
I think my favorite part was you opened the tray table and you could tell it had been cleaned because it was still damp.
Extra hours of work
Yep us Lebanese are very thorough.
Nice to see busy airports. As usual, great review
Great report, really nice the interior of the A321 NEO :)
Hi!!
@@justafriendlyguy8858 Hello Sonic
At 13:49 I saw an MEA plane with its old colors at the airport. Very nice. I like their newest look too. It is amazing. But I loved their looks from the 60's 70's and 80's.
That's one of their old libretys
That was a nice cabin. Yes! I agree! Proper crew training is essential! Thanks for the video! Cheers from Alaska!!
Lebanese people aren't particularly known to be friendly at first but once you get to know them you realize what wonderful people they are.
I love traveling and seeing different places and cultures, so enjoyed and enjoy your videos while learning a bit about aviation too. Gorgeous plane! Thanks Josh!
The crew thing ? I have found this to be the case with some airlines, some crews can make your flight, and others seem to think they are better than you because they work on an airline,all boils down to the training. Good video!!
Welcome to my country Lebanon even if you passed as transit 🇱🇧 Great report about my country airline MEA . I love your authentic reviews Josh keep it up 👍👍
I use MEA alot and I don't consider the cabin crew rude they are very nice towards the children and adults and in the past they gave out free toys to children aswell
With MEA it’s either a hit or miss. I’ve had amazing flights with them with the crew being super helpful and nice, and others where they’ve been rude and unhelpful. A few employees’ attitudes definitely doesn’t reflect on the entire airline, that’s for sure. Overall, I’ll say they’re one of the best airlines I’ve flown with, in terms of comfort, very generous legroom; cleanliness, never had a dirty or smelly seat, toilets always very clean; food is amazing, of course typical Lebanese and entertainment is good. Most of the time they’re ontime as well.
(EDIT: I hadn’t watched the video yet before writing this comment, you’re 100% spot on and honest)
Not just in the Middle East, but in many cultures pretty girls learn early on not to smile to strangers as this can open an unwanted attention.
The crew has a terrible attitude mainly because of the miserable economic and political situation in Lebanon, where the currency has devaluated by more than 90%. I am sure this significantly affects their morale just like every other Lebanese person suffering.
*Very true. Thank you for mentioning this, because not many foreigners know how difficult life has become today to most Lebanese. A lot of them lost most of their hard-earned life savings, due to this severe downturn in the Lebanese economy.*
The crew at MEA are the best and so professional and I'm saying that after I travelled with them for over 10 years.
I didn’t see anything in the video that shows the crew having bad attitude. MEA crew are always polite and welcoming to all passengers.
I think the MEA Neo looks amazing! I would definitely like to try them in the future, although I would hope the crew have been given some improved training. Having a good crew that show an interest in the customer and their job, can make all the difference to a flight experience. ✈️
Great review. I don't know how I feel about the use of singe-aisle aircraft for long-haul routes. Seats could be similar, but in bigger aircraft you can move a little around, they are more roomy and also steady in flight. You can really tell the difference when you connect from a long-haul to a medium/short-haul flight now. So yes, long live wide-bodies ! :)
I enjoy the updated cabin of the new 321neos. Surprised BA has 210 seats in theirs. Was on ANAs with 194 and that was comfortable.
I've tried the neo as airbus 320 Gulf Air from Bahrain to Amman (Jordan)
The seats were really comfortable unlike the regular a320.
That was months before COVID.
Hey Josh you need to eat your Veggies bro😋, great video as usual.
You don’t tell people what they eat
Enjoyed your review, and those aircraft are really nice. I know that the crew wasn't overly friendly, but remember, they are working during COVID, and have probably not been vaccinated. I'm sure they look at each passenger as the one possibly giving them COVID. Heck, I give them credit for even working with the public during a pandemic.
Well said.
Lebanon is in an economic crisis so they also might not be being payed much
Excuses .
@@mamallama7708 reasons. Good ones.
Josh never eats his veggies 😂
L neither do I lol
I went away for my birthday on a planehopping trip around Europe, when I left, I was 49 and slept on airportfloors and benches, but after a week of partying in Amsterdam I was 50 years old, and on the way home I actually paid for a capsule on one airport, and due to a delay got an hotelroom for free on another, so the age limit seems to be exactly 50 for ruffing it.
(it was an 24/7 party week in Amsterdam too, it might have taken a toll on my stamina)
Yu got many years of ruff sleeping left in you!
I really injoy these videos josh!!!! Nice video
i love MEA my all time favorit, best airline food in economy and thats not new !
Nice video and shots of the A321Neo, I enjoy watching these videos. Also, I wouldn't judge a travel experience on an airliner based on how nice the crew was. The first and mandatory purpose of the crew is to assist you, during your flight, be it uneventful or during stressing moments. A crew that smiles to you when you enter the plane, that gives you a nice face during your meal services, etc., those are all 'nice to have's' but not really differentiators, definitely not minimums to compete either, when evaluating an airliner offering.
MEA's new A321neos remind me of their old classic A321-231s from 2003, the ones with white paint on the outside with just the MEA title, green and blue seats which were thick and cozy and outdated IFE that had just 9 channels to watch and a 90's retro map. Thats it! I used to fly onboard MEA's classic old A321s frequently and seeing their new A321neos, brings back to my childhood nostalgia days.
I love flying and airports.. and also long stays... i havnt flown since 2017
Super trip reports very professional as always good job Josh
It's really sad to hear that :/ Lebanon is struggling a lot and personally my MEA experiences were always amazing. Not saying that he's revuew sucks I'm just saying that it's sad
Don't you ever get cold wearing shorts? I know that after a few hours flying, my body temperature goes down, plus less oxygen in the old planes. Even my feet start swelling! Love the videos and enjoy your adventures. Thanks ☺️
Looks like an American look. I was situated at the shorts
@@thihal123 to be honest with you, Josh is undoubtedly a huge airline customer who knows what to wear. I know that before I take a long flight, I take plenty of rest and eat a lot. Never ever drink alcohol!! Worst experience ever. The trick is to feel completely relaxed and enjoy the experience.
I love MEA airlines 💖💖nice video though keep it up
Josh, I have been flying around the world for 60 years and have seen airlines come and go as well as reputations rise and fall - and back again. I have engaged many cabin crew in conversations during long-haul flights over the years including half an hour chatting to a 747 Captain between LA and Sydney. There are many overlapping issues which can determine a flight experience and I believe that money/corporate greed drive most of them. Tight budgets obviously cause such things as poor training, catering quality and disgruntled crew and the same could be said for the opposite. It's true that one crew member with a poor attitude can ruin an experience on any one day but as many viewers point out its not always a reflection of an entire airline. You are covering the right subjects and I appreciate your down-to-earth honesty and perspective. Keep it up!
We flew MEA pre covid from London and found the same to be true, cabin crew with attitudes that seemed to really hate their jobs. Very unapproachable and any requests were met with a hostile look - apart from that everything else was fine to be honest
Great to see you there in DXB! All the best again!
I attribute the female flight attendants' lack of friendliness to the fact that this is a Middle Eastern airline and many Middle Eastern passengers will consider a female flight attendant who is too friendly and too generous with her smiles at men (specially Western men) a loose woman. In addition, this was the RETURN leg of a turn-around flight which had just arrived from Beirut. So, after a three and a half hour flight from Beirut, and probably about an hour or more on the ground, those flight attendants were probably a little tired. Besides, they had to perform all their duties wearing those MISERABLE masks! Who WOULDN"T be grouchy under those circumstances???
MEA is my favourite airline and regulatory I use it when I travel from Lebanon to Europe. It has a great history and was one of the best airlines in the sixties. Professional staff and the food are always the best besides the hospitality.
Josh, how many times do I have to tell you to eat your vegetables?! Just kidding😂 Great video with great editing and humor as always❤️👍✈️
I’ve noticed the same thing. He seems to always leave his veggies!
Oh well, he’s young! Wait till he gets to be in his mid fifties!😆😆
Beirut airport is nice 🤩🤩
Thank God for the lounge! I hate those long layovers. I can never get comfortable.
I also went on that plane and it’s SOOO GOOD
Love this guy!
Humble and real unlike others....
You mean unlike Sam Chui I guess
Great video. I was surprised to see how nice Beirut airport is! Wow. The A321 Neo is a beautiful plane, I really like MEA new livery.
The airport is very nice but there's not much food options
Everything he said is true cuz I went on the same plane.
MEA has a nice livery.
Love your videos, makes me feel like I am there, great job for those of us who can't travel!
Pretty epic headline for average crew
I wanted to see a more detailed view of your second meal. It looked like 2 hot dog buns🌭
About the San Marino registration, it could be that the plane is actually leased by MEA and not owned. The leasing agency may have registered it in San Marino.
I have been a flight crew member for 20 plus years...I wish people would stand up to poor treatment. Its so arrogant how we treat our customers and never answer for it ..YOU ALL DESERVE BETTER! especially as we are government subsidized even in the USA...Im sorry we suck so bad...im serious and embarrassed.
Your Lebanese pilot I’m Lebanese too
The fact that the aircraft was registered in San Marino is probably because the plane is owned by a leasing company which is probably based in San Marino to avoid paying taxes.
Awesome content! Thanks for sharing Josh.
I still remember the days Josh having only about 50K Subscribers :) Great success!!
MEA HAVE A BEST INFLIGHT FOOD EVERRRRRR!!!
Your reviews are smashing and spot on, I can only see an airline being happy to have a not so secret shopper showing them at NO cost to them how they are doing.
Why plane registered in San Marino? There is an international agreement between San Marino and Lebanon.
Type in 5696-E.pdf and the agreement comes up
Best part of the report is the red shorts 👍
6:12 you’re welcome 😱😱
11:19 too
13:20
Best legs at 30,000 feet 😉
Luckily, I’ve never been on a flight where the crew was rude. I’ve had some that weren’t very excited to be serving, but it they were still attentive and did a their jobs. I think it would be unnerving to have a rude crew. Kind of makes you feel unsafe. I’ve had some crews that were downright entertaining! Funny announcements and tasteful wisecracks throughout the flight! That’s always fun.
FYI Josh - female crew are women not girls.
Thnk u for the great review❤❤
A brilliant review on MEA ... as always you do it so well Josh.
Abdullah - Australia
13:24 A GHOSSSSST!! 😱😱😱
I'm amazed how you picked up the "disappearing person". I didn't even notice until you pointed it out.
@@HistamineFranco so so funny! 😂😂
Just started watching and I am hooked !
A great review like always, thanks Josh☺
The lounge looks really nice. Thanks for the review! Another nice PP lounge is the Plaza Mayor lounge in T4 of Madrid. It just happened that I released a review myself. Would appreciate it to get your feedback on the video. Cheers, TOKO Explore
Great video, as someone who travels often for work (up to 10 flights per week pre-COVID) , it is nice to see videos that show the true travel experience. Such as long layovers, rude crew, inconsiderate passengers, early mornings or late nights and economy class, not just business class. Keep up the good work.
Great video and nice surprise having 2 flights in 1. 👍🏻
Clickbait video title, but I won't complain too much because the video was quite interesting.
So I'm happy I clicked, and only a tiny bit miffed that the "crew ruins" didn't really have any major substance to it. But then I'm a Finn, so what some nationalities consider rude or grumpy I hardly notice :-)
Hi Josh: The A321 NEO is very good aircraft, Beirut airport is really nice. However, I am not sure
what you mean by the MEA "Crew Ruins The Experience". Who are you comparing them to ?
To the 150 other airlines I have flown with.
Based on your title I don’t understand . Was the crew verbally rude ? Did they not allow you to film ? We’re they rolling their eyes ? I was expecting some sort of confrontation .
They’re not rude or verbally abusive, but they are not friendly at all. You try and be friendly with them, but they seem to despise that they have to interact with you. A stark contrast to the Gulf countries’ airlines.
Thank you for economy videos. don't make enough to fly anything else.
Hi Josh love your content watching from Uganda🇺🇬🇺🇬🇺🇬🇺🇬🇺🇬🇺🇬🇺🇬
I appreciate that you use the crew attitude as a variable. Others out there focus on both the hard and soft product but rarely touch on the human factor. Also, some of the others "church it up" a bit too much for my liking. Travel isnt always rainbows and unicorns.
its good to see air travel recovering.
Last January, I nearly bought a one way £120 flight from Auckland to London on the MEA website.... via Dubai, Beirut and Istanbul. But the reviews and 40 hour travel time put me off 😂
You should have taken it. You could have visited all of those cities. MEA is actually a pretty good airline - I enjoyed my flights with them.
@@russiandrivers9986 I already had a return flight two days earlier. With Emirates with Bali and Dubai. I was tempted to stay an extra two days but it wasn’t worth it ;)
We here in Beirut are glad you did so. :))
I agree on that attitude that they have. The point is that they either ate that job or they feel too important. Same attitude had in the past Alitalia flight attendants, now probably not not anymore since many were fired or will soon be fired due to airline difficulties.
T7- is a tax free state so cheaper to register/lease aircraft there rather than pay more for home OD- .. There are quite a few T7- bizjets these days, bet they have never been to San Marino. Great vlog.👍
It would be miraculous if they had because San Marino doesn't have an airport. It doesn't even have a train station.
Many carriers will register aircraft in a different country for a number of reasons
1) some airlines operate in countries that are banned from flying in certain airspaces so you register the aircraft in a different country and continue to operate.
2) the government of Lebanon has many international debts as the main shareholder in the airline their aircraft could be seized. Therefore you register the aircraft in a different country and a different ownership and then lease from that company
3) if the aircraft is leased... the leasing company might not want the aircraft under a Lebanese registration due to the current financial and economic situation in the country
thanks for this video,,enjoyable
I’ve always wanted to see Beirut. After seeing this opulent lounge, I will do so and be certain to get access, to it!
i love ur vids soo much cahill u arsent like other youtubers who get paid by the airline for saying an amazing expirience but u , u r the most honest youtuiber ever thank u cahill for goiving true expiriences
Nice presentation of the new aircraft! 👍
Flew Air NZ maiden Christchurch to Melbourne 2019. Amazing!
Great comfy seat, excellent leg room. Loved it.
Enjoy.
If I can survive a surly United crew, I think I'll survive this. :)
Registered in San Marino most likely for two reasons: fees to operate on the tarmac in various countries are dependent upon the regulations regarding the country in which the plane is registered... They are allowed on the ground for so many hours dependent upon what country under which it is registered... also code share regulations.
Just curious about the Cabin Crew on strike in the title? Unsure which flight its pertaining to as you got a meal service on both. Economy looks awesome but Business Class nothing special. I actually joined in that live stream in the lounge lol👍
Very nice video! Still waiting for you to get the Air Canada treatment again lmaooo. They almost made you cry.
Love from India bro