Algebra

Algebra and geometry, a group action is a way of describing symmetries of objects using groups. The essential elements of the object are described by a set and the symmetries of the object are described by the symmetry group of this set, which consists of bijective transformations of the set. In this case, the group is also called a permutation group (especially if the set is finite or not a vector space) or transformation group (especially if the set is a vector space and the group acts like linear transformations of the set).

A group action is a flexible generalization of the notion of a symmetry group in which every element of the group "acts" like a bijective transformation (or "symmetry") of some set, without being identified with that transformation. This allows for a more comprehensive description of the symmetries of an object, such as a polyhedron, by allowing the same group to act on several different sets, such as the set of vertices, the set of edges and the set of faces of the polyhedron.

If G is a group and X is a set then a group action may be defined as a group homomorphism from G to the symmetric group of X. The action assigns a permutation of X to each element of the group in such a way that

the permutation of X assigned to the identity element of G is the identity transformation of X;

the permutation of X assigned to a product gh of two elements of the group is the composite of the permutations assigned to g and h.

Since each element of G is represented as a permutation, a group action is also known as a permutation representation.

The abstraction provided by group actions is a powerful one, because it allows geometrical ideas to be applied to more abstract objects. Many objects in mathematics have natural group actions defined on them. In particular, groups can act on other groups, or even on themselves. Despite this generality, the theory of group actions contains wide-reaching theorems, such as the orbit stabilizer theorem, which can be used to prove deep results in several fields.

(source:wikipedia)

Peer group

Peer group is a social group consisting of people. Peer groups are an informal primary group of people who share a similar or equal status and who are usually of roughly the same age, tended to travel around and interact within the social aggregate Members of a particular peer group often have similar interests and backgrounds, bonded by the premise of sameness. However, some peer groups are very diverse, crossing social divides such as socioeconomic status, level of education, race, creed, culture, or religion.

Developmental psychology

Developmental psychologists, Lev Vygotsky, Jean Piaget, Erik Erikson, and Harry Stack Sullivan, have all argued that peer relationships provide a unique context for cognitive, social, and emotional development, with equality, reciprocity, cooperation, and intimacy, maturing and enhancing children's reasoning abilities and concern for others. Modern research echoes these sentiments, showing that social and emotional gains are indeed provided by peer interaction.

Bonding and functions of peer groups

Serve as a source of info.

Peer groups have a significant influence on psychological and social adjustments for group individuals.Peer groups provide perspective outside of individual’s viewpoints. Members inside peer groups also learn to develop relationships with other in the social system. Peers, particularly group members, become important social referents for  teaching members customs, social norms, and different ideologies.

Teaches gender roles.

Peer groups can also serve as a venue for teaching members Gender roles. Through gender-role socialization group members learn about sex differences, social and cultural expectations. While boys and girls differ greatly there is not a one to one link between sex and gender role with males always being masculine and female always being feminine. Both genders can contain different levels of masculinity and femininity. Peer groups like gender roles can consist of all males, all females, or both male and female. Peer groups can have great influence or peer pressure on each other’s gender role behavior depending on the amount of pressure. If a peer group holds to a strong social norm, member will behave in ways predicted by their gender roles, but if there is not a unanimous peer agreement gender roles do not correlate with behavior

Serves as a practicing venue to adulthood.

Adolescent Peer groups provide support for children, and teens as they assimilate into the adult society decreasing dependence on parents, and increasing feeling of self-sufficiency and connecting with a much larger social network. this is “a period in which individuals are expanding their perspective beyond the family how to and learning negotiate relationships with others in the social system. Peers, particularly group members, become important social referents”  Peer groups also have influence on individual member’s attitudes, and behaviors on many cultural, and social issues such as drug use, violence, academic achievement and even the development and expression of prejudice.

Teaches unity & collective behavior

Peer Groups “ provide an influential social setting in which group norms are developed, and enforced through socialization processes that promote within-group similarity. Peer groups cohesion is determined, and maintained by such factors as group Communication, Group consensus, and Group conformity concerning attitude and behavior. As members of peer groups interconnect, and agree, a normative code arises. This Normative code can become very rigid deciding group behavior, and dress. Peer group individuality is increased by normative codes, and intergroup conflict. Member Deviation from the strict normative code can lead to rejection from the group.

Gender differences

Male

Male peer groups tend to display more assertive behavior and independence. Male peer groups also tend to display more antagonistic behavior than girls. Status hierarchies develop within Males peer groups having members vie for position for a time, but eventually a stable hierarchy is established reducing intragroup conflict. Many Adolescent male peer groups use homophobic behavior (e.g., using homophobic epithets or making homophobic statements) to assert masculinity and identify inappropriate behavior among group members.

Female

Female peer group members often feel greater investments in their social relationships than Males. Because of this investment female peer groups place a greater importance on group affiliation. This need of affiliation also leads females to dissent less and be more conforming to peer group norms compared to males. Status hierarchies are also formed in female groups, but often denied by group members . The great value placed on group membership also causes female groups to be more exclusive and resistant to new members after the group has been set. Furthermore, females great investments in social relationships tends to lead to more positive interactions than those of males.

Peer pressure

The term peer pressure is often used to describe instances where an individual feels indirectly pressured into changing their behavior to match that of their peers. Taking up smoking and underage drinking are two of the best known examples. In spite of the often negative connotations of the term, peer pressure can be used positively.

(source:wikipedia)

Working group

Working group (WG) is an interdisciplinary collaboration of researchers working on new research activities that would be difficult to develop under traditional funding mechanisms (e.g. federal agencies). The lifespan of the WG can last anywhere between a few months and several years. Such groups have the tendency to develop a quasi-permanent existence once the assigned task is accomplished; hence the need to disband (or phase out) the WG once it has provided solutions to the issues for which it was initially convened. Such goals to be achieved may include:

creation of an informational document;

creation of a standard, or

resolution of problems related to a system or network.

The WG may assemble experts (and future experts) on a topic together for intensive work. It is not an avenue for briefing novices about the subject matter. Occasionally, a group might admit a person with little experience and a lot of enthusiasm. However, such participants should be present as observers and in the minority.

Working groups are also referred to as task groups or technical advisory groups.

Characteristics

The nature of the working group may depend on the group's raison d’être — which may be technical, artistic (specifically musical), or administrative in nature.

]Administrative working groups

These working groups are established by decision makers at higher levels of the organization for the following purposes:

To elaborate, consolidate, and build on the consensus of the decision makers; and

To ensure (and improve) coordination among the various segments of the organization. A shared commitment to agreed common aims develops among the parties as they work together to clarify issues, formulate strategies, and develop action plans.

For example, the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs is a group of twelve federal agencies within the executive branch of the U.S. government, and is responsible for promoting achievement of positive results for at-risk youth. This working group was formally established by Executive Order 13459, Improving the Coordination and Effectiveness of Youth Programs, on February 7, 2008.

Musical working groups

Although any artisan or artist can benefit from being part of a working group, it is especially of great import for session players. Musicians face a variety of challenges that can impede the formation of musical working groups, such as touring and studio recording sessions. Such activities make it that much more difficult to concentrate on the developing the cohesiveness that is required to maintain a working group.

However, working groups have been shown to be rewarding to the stakeholders, as it fosters innovation. By working with the same people frequently, members become familiar with the répertoire of other members, which develops trust and encourages spontaneity.

Some of the more notable musical working groups include:

Abdullah Ibrahim Trio;

Alex von Schlippenbach Trio;

Dave Holland (Trio, Quartet, or Quintet);

Die Like A Dog Quartet;

Gary Bartz Quartet;

Vandermark 5; and

William Parker Quartet (Trio/Quartet).

[edit]Technical working groups

In many technical organizations, for example Standards organizations, the groups that meet and make decisions are called "working groups". Examples include:

IETF working groups (which are subordinate to Areas)

HTTP WG, original led by Dave Raggett

ISO working groups (which are subordinate to an SC (subcommittee), subordinate to a TC (technical committee)

W3C working groups

Device Description Working Group

Technical Architecture Group

SVG Working Group

In some cases, like the Printer Working Group, an entire consortium uses the term "working group" for itself.

The rules for who can be a part of the working groups, and how a working group makes decisions, varies considerably between organizations.

Mechanics

It is imperative for the participants to appreciate and understand that the working group is intended to be a forum for cooperation and participation. Participants represent the interests and views of stakeholders from disparate sectors of the community which happen to have a vested interest in the results of the WG. Therefore, maintaining and strengthening communication lines with all parties involved is essential (this responsibility cuts both ways — stakeholders are expected to share what information, knowledge and expertise they have on the issue.)

Programmes developed should be evaluated by encouraging community input and support; this will ensure that such programmes meet the community's vision for its future. The WG should also regularly seek community feedback on their projects. Apropos questions to be asked during such meetings include:

What were the objectives of the program?

What were the results of the project?

What effect did the results have on the identified problem?

What unexpected results — desirable or otherwise — were observed?

How were the results achieved? (Was it by the methods and techniques originally intended, or did these evolve with implementation?)

Was there an effective use of community resources?

Should our objective or methods be changed?

Depending on the lifespan of the WG, involved parties (at the very least) convene annually. However, such meetings may happen as often as once every semester or trimester.

(source:wikipedia)

crowd

Crowd is a large and definable group of people, while "the crowd" is referred to as the so-called lower orders of people in general (the mob). A crowd may be definable through a common purpose or set of emotions, such as at a political rally, at a sports event, or during looting, or simply be made up of many people going about their business in a busy area (eg shopping). Everybody in the context of general public or the common people is normally referred to as the masses.

Terminology

The term crowd is often defined in contrast to other group nouns for collections of humans or animals: aggregation, audience, group, mass, mob, populous, public, rabble and throng. For example in "Public Opinion" Vincent Price compares masses and crowds:

Crowds are defined by their shared emotional experiences, but masses are defined by their interpersonal isolation.

In human sociology, the term "mobbed" simply means "extremely crowded", as in a busy mall or shop. In animal behaviour mobbing is a technique where many individuals of one species "gang up" on a larger individual of another species to drive them away. Mobbing behaviour is often seen in birds.

Social aspects of crowds

Social aspects are concerned with the formation, management and control of crowds, both from the point of view of individuals and groups. Often crowd control is designed to persuade a crowd to align with a particular view (e.g., political rallies), or to contain groups to prevent damage or mob behaviour. Politically organised crowd control is usually conducted by law enforcement but on some occasions military forces are used for particularly large or dangerous crowds.

Social aspects of crowds for adolescent peer groups

Adolescent culture is a relatively new feature of society, affecting most teenagers in the United States since the 1930s. The research on adolescent culture began with the search for identities: who the adolescents and their peer groups are and the differences and how adolescent culture differed from adult culture. Many researchers are making efforts to develop an understanding of the functions of crowds. But the findings are complicated due to multiple definitions of the crowd. Now in adolescence, peer affiliation becomes more important than ever before. Youths tend to categorize themselves and each other based on stereotypes and reputations. These categories are known in the developmental psychology literature as peer crowds. Crowds are defined as reputation based collectives of similarly stereotyped individuals who may or may not spend much time together. Crowds also refer to collectives of adolescents identified by the interests, attitudes, abilities, and/or personal characteristics they have in common. Crowds are different from cliques, which are interaction based peer groups who hang out together. Crowds are not simply clusters of cliques; the two different structures serve entirely different purposes. Because the clique is based on activity and friendship, it is the important setting in which the adolescent learns social skills like how to be a good friend and how to communicate effectively. These and other social skills are important in adulthood as well as in adolescence. Crowds are based on reputation and stereotypes than on interaction; they probably contribute more to the adolescent sense of identity and self-conception. For example jocks and burnouts are more likely to be interaction based than such crowds as loners and nerds.

Psychological aspects of crowds

Psychological aspects are concerned with the psychology of the crowd as a group and the psychology of those who allow their will and emotions to be informed by the crowd (both discussed more comprehensively under crowd psychology), and other individual responses to crowds, such as crowd-sickness, claustrophobia and agoraphobia.

(source:wikipedia)

Promoters

Twitter Promoters are the best way to increase branding power and awareness of your website, products and services.Build your official Account, and would like them to promote it on Facebook and other web parts, attracting potential customers.Twitter is promoter's best friend. Twitter can be an incredibly powerful tool for party promoters who are looking to promote their events and websites. Twitter can be a cheap and effective way of advertising a product, brand or business. It is important to tailor the promotional campaign.

Town

Twitter is a world web surfer's town.The twitters use twitter for promot there products power wheels barbie, coat tree, corel draw, green tea, radio, flyer, wagon,cross, trainer, headphones, sandisk, cruzer, drum kit, chocolate, truffles,acuvue, toaster, origami, paper, tiara, video card,flash card, bubble machine, window washer, faucet ,atkins bars,portable generator, disco, ball, nikon ,coolpix rowing machine, briefcases,and there business links.

Med Airways

Med Airways is a small Lebanese charter airline that was formerly called Flying Carpet until 2009. Its fleet consists of one Swearingen SA-227 Metro 19-seat turboprop airplane, one Piper PA-28, one Piper PA-32 and one Piper PA-34. In 2006 it received two Boeing 737-200 formerly owned by Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines and later received a Bombardier CRJ-200ER formerly owned by Independence Air. The airline flies several routes, mainly to Iraq. In August 2007 it also offered a direct service from Beirut to Berlin and Hanover in Germany. Its owner, Mazen Bsat, acquired the defunct Trans Mediterranean Airways with plans to restart its operations.

Destinations

Greece

Athens - Athens International Airport 

Iraq

Baghdad - Baghdad International Airport

Basra - Basra International Airport

Erbil - Erbil International Airport

Sulaymaniyah - Sulaimaniyah International Airport

Lebanon

Beirut - Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport Base

Netherlands

Eindhoven - Eindhoven Airport

Sudan

Khartoum - Khartoum International Airport

Sweden

Stockholm - Arlanda Airport

(source:wikipedia)

Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport,مطار بيروت

Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport (formerly Beirut International Airport) (IATA: BEY, ICAO: OLBA) (Arabic: ‎ مطار بيروت , French: Aéroport international de Beyrouth - Rafic Hariri) is located 9 km (5.6 mi) from the city centre in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon and is the only operational commercial airport in the country. It is the hub for Lebanon's national carrier, Middle East Airlines (more commonly known as MEA). It is also the hub for the Lebanese cargo carrier Trans Mediterranean Airways (more commonly known as TMA Cargo), as well as the charter carriers Med Airways, Wings of Lebanon, and MenaJet.

It is the main port of entry into the country along with the Port of Beirut. The airport was selected by the famed "Skytrax Magazine" as the second best airport and aviation hub in the Middle East; it came just behind Dubai International Airport.

The airport is managed and operated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) which operates within the Ministry of Public Works and Transport. The DGCA is also responsible for operating the air traffic control (ATC) at the airport as well as controlling Lebanon's airspace.

Maintenance and general upkeep duties ranging from cleaning the terminal to de-rubberising the runways are the responsibility of Middle East Airports Services (MEAS) which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the national carrier, Middle East Airlines.

There are plans to eventually replace the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) with an independent autonomous government owned agency called the Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA) which would assume the responsibilities of regulation and safety oversight while a new government-owned corporation named the Beirut International Airport Corporation (BRHIAC) would assume management and operations responsibilities of the airport.

History

Inauguration

The airport opened on 23 April 1954, replacing the much smaller Bir Hassan Airfield which was located a short distance north. At the time of its opening, the terminal was very modern and it featured an excellent spotters terrace with a cafe. The airport consisted of two asphalt runways at the time. Runway 18/36 at 3,250 metres (10,663 feet) was used primarily for landings from the 18 end while runway 03/21 at 3,180 metres (10,433 feet) was used primarily for take-offs from the 03 end.

A premier Middle East hub

The airport grew to become a premier hub in the Middle East, thanks to limited competition from neighbours, with fast and steady growth by the country's four carriers at the time, Middle East Airlines (MEA), Air Liban, Trans Mediterranean Airways (TMA), and Lebanese International Airways (LIA) plus numerous foreign carriers.

Israeli Assault

1968 Israeli raid on Lebanon

In response to an attack on an El Al jet in Athens, on the night of 28 December 1968, Israeli commandos mounted a surprise attack on the airport and destroyed 13 civilian aircraft belonging to the Lebanese carriers, Middle East Airlines (Air Liban had merged with MEA by this time), Trans Mediterranean Airways, and Lebanese International Airways. This caused serious devastation to the Lebanese aviation industry. Middle East Airlines managed to rebound quickly, but Lebanese International Airways went bankrupt and its employees were transferred to MEA.

Lebanese Civil War

Beirut Airport in 1982

The airport lost its status and the glamour it once had with the start of the 15-year long Lebanese Civil War in April 1975 in which it lost virtually all of its airline services with the exception of the two Lebanese carriers, Middle East Airlines and Trans Mediterranean Airways, which continued operating with the exception of certain periods of interruption when the airport was completely closed. Despite the conflict, the terminal was renovated in 1977, only to be badly damaged 5 years later by Israeli shelling during the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. The airport was the site of the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing, in which 241 American servicemen were killed. The airport's runways were renovated in 1982 and 1984.

Reconstruction

By the time war finally came to an end in 1990, the airport was clearly outdated and fatigued. It was clear that if Beirut was to try to rebound itself, it needed to launch a massive reconstruction program. A 10-year reconstruction program was launched in 1994 which included the construction of a brand new terminal, two new runways, a new fire station building, a new powerplant, a new general aviation terminal, a new underground parking garage, and the rehabilitation of many structures such as the radar building.

Inside the airport

In 1998, the first phase of the new terminal was completed. It was located immediately adjacent to the east of the old terminal and consists of gates 1-12. After it was inaugurated, the old terminal was demolished and construction on the western half began and was completed in 2000, however it was not inaugurated until 2002. This consists of gates 13-23. The new terminal can handle 6 million passengers annually and is expected to be expanded to handle 16 million passengers by 2035.

It was decided early on that the original runways were no longer sufficient, especially if Beirut was to see large aircraft like the upcoming Airbus A380. A new landing runway, 17/35 was constructed protruding at an angle out into the sea, with a length of 3,395 metres (11,138 feet). This seaward protrusion was built in order to move landing traffic away from the city in a bid to improve safety and reduce aircraft noise. A new take-off runway was constructed parallel to the old 03/21 at a length of 3,800 metres (12,467 feet) making it the longest runway in the airport. The old 03/21 was converted to a taxiway for accessing the new runway 03/21. Unlike the old runways, the two new runways were constructed from concrete and feature more advanced lighting systems and instrument landing systems. Runway 18/36 is still open, although it is used very rarely.

In 2004, runway 17/35 was re-designated 16/34 and runway 18/36 was re-designated 17/35 after more accurate runway heading measurements were conducted.

On 17 June 2005, the General Aviation Terminal was finally opened. It is located on the northwestern corner of the airport and is one of the most advanced general aviation terminals in the Middle East featuring state of the art facilities. All fixed base operators and VIP charter providers have moved their operations to this state-of-the art terminal.

More damage during the 2006 war

 2006 Lebanon War

On 13 July 2006 at approximately 6:00 a.m. local time, all 3 runways of the airport sustained significant damage from missile strikes directed at it by the Israeli Air Force as part of the 2006 Lebanon War. The Israeli Air Force claimed at the time that Hezbollah had received a weapons shipment there. The runways were rendered inoperative and the Lebanese Government declared that the airport was closed until further notice.

Shortly thereafter, MEA used one of the long taxiways at the airport to evacuate five of its aircraft (four Airbus A321 and one Airbus A330).

Limited activity at the airport

The airport reopened to commercial flights on August 17, 2006 with the arrival of a Middle East Airlines (MEA) flight around 1:10 p.m. local time (10:10 a.m. GMT) from Amman, followed by a Royal Jordanian flight also from Amman. This marked the first commercial flight arrival at Beirut International Airport since the airport's closure almost 5 weeks before. All runways and taxiways at the airport have been successfully repaired and the airport is operating as it was before the hostilities.

Israel ends air blockade

On Thursday, 7 September 2006, Israel ended its air blockade of Lebanon. The first plane to land at the airport after the end of the blockade was a Middle East Airlines flight at 6:06 p.m. local time (3:06 p.m. GMT). Soon after that, a Kuwait Airways flight landed at the airport. Over the next couple of days, more airlines resumed flights to the airport, including Emirates, Etihad, Jazeera Airways, Air Arabia, Air France, British Airways (BMED), Cyprus Airways, Egypt Air, Air Algérie, Royal Air Maroc, Jet Airways and Gulf Air.

US air traffic ban lifted

On June 6, 2007, U.S. President Bush lifted a ban on air traffic to Lebanon imposed since the 1985 hijacking of TWA Flight 847. A press release issued by the White House said Bush was determined that the “prohibition of transportation services to Lebanon … is hereby further amended to permit U.S. air carriers under contract to the United States Government to engage in foreign air transportation to and from Lebanon of passengers, including U.S. and non-U.S. citizens.”

On December 17, 2009, President Michel Sleiman announced that US based airlines are considering a partnership agreement with Middle East Airlines (MEA) as a first step to resuming direct flights between Lebanon and the United States and eventually Canada. Brazil's Varig started services from São Paulo and suspended operations in 2006. Before Varig's suspension, it was the only airline of Latin and South America to fly to Beirut.

Plans

The ambitious 10-year reconstruction program of the airport is mostly complete and Beirut now has a world-class facility which is ranked among the top airports in the Middle East.

Near-term plans include the rehabilitation of the old runway 17/35, the rehabilitation and construction of new taxiways, the construction of 12 small hangars for the newly inaugurated General Aviation Terminal, and the construction of a cargo village to attract more cargo carriers.

In July 2010, in an interview with Lebanon’s director general of Civil Aviation, Dr Hamdi Chaouk, it was confirmed that Beirut is to increase its capacity from six million passengers a year to 18 million with the construction of a new terminal and 23 new gates – taking the total to 46. Construction would begin on January 2011.

Dr Chaouk said that up to seven of these gates would be designed to take the Airbus A380. He mentioned that talks have been occurring with Emirates and Qatar on the possibility of using Beirut as a hub for flights to London.

Passenger Terminal

3 MEA A321s parked at the west wing.

The modern terminal consists of 23 gates, 21 of which have jetways, and two of which are dual jetway gates for large aircraft.

The terminal consists of two wings, the East and West Wing, joined together by the Main Terminal. The Main Terminal includes the bulk of the duty free, some other shops, a restaurant, and the lounges (see below for more details). The East Wing, which opened in 1998, has gates 1-12 and the West Wing, which opened in 2002, has gates 13-23. Gates 2 and 3 are dual jetway gates for large aircraft. Gates 4 and 22 are bus boarding gates, however these are rarely used. When an aircraft is parked on a stand it is usually towed into a jetway position closer to departure. There is Wi-Fi throughout the airport.

The Main Terminal consists of 4 levels. They are:

The Ground Level, which features the arrival area, and also contains a duty free section for arriving passengers after they clear passport control, but before they clear customs (this duty free, like all the others, is not open to the general public). Car rental agencies are located on this level as well, available for arriving passengers after they clear customs. This level also has cafes open to the general public (i.e., people who are waiting for the arriving passengers).

The 2nd Level, featuring the departure level, ticketing, and gates area. It also includes the primary duty free shopping area, as well as some other shops, including a Virgin Megastore. Like the Ground Level, there are some cafes open to the general public; these are located in the main entrance foyer, before passengers begin the boarding process, which includes security, ticketing, and passport control. There are 2 security entrances on opposite sides of the foyer, which lead to 1 ticketing area; only passengers with a valid ticket and passport may pass through security. Duty free shopping is not open to the general public, and passengers can only access the duty free area once they have cleared passport control.

The 3rd Level, which houses all of the private airline lounges, as well as a Japanese restaurant. The restaurant is only available to passengers once they clear passport control.

The 4th Level, which mainly houses the airport administration offices. Closed to the public.

Each Wing of the airport is accessible from the Main Terminal on opposite sides of the Main Terminal, via its own entrance. Each has only 1 level, and is considered part of the 2nd Level. Both entrances have a security check-point before entering (this is in addition to the 2 security entrances featured just past the main entrance foyer). The 2 Wings are not connected to each other, and are only available to each other via the Main Terminal. Each Wing contains the following:

2 cafes, both offering self-service items (drinks, sandwiches, pastries, and chocolates). One of the cafes is much larger than the other, and features televisions displaying international news channels.

A small duty free shop.

A magazine/newspaper newsstand, offering publications in Arabic, English, and French.

A store selling Lebanese touristic merchandise and souvenirs.

Computer kiosks with internet connection, payable by cash or credit.

Pay phones.

Airlines and destinations

Airlines Destinations

Aeroflot Moscow-Sheremetyevo

Air Algérie Algiers

Air Arabia Sharjah

Air Arabia Egypt Alexandria-Borg el Arab

Air France Paris-Charles de Gaulle

Air Méditerranée Paris-Orly

Air Baltic Riga

Alitalia Rome-Fiumicino

Armavia Yerevan

Bahrain Air Bahrain, Kuwait

Belavia Minsk

bmi Khartoum, London-Heathrow

Bulgaria Air Seasonal: Sofia [restarts 1 May]

Bulgarian Air Charter Seasonal: Varna

Cyprus Airways Larnaca

Czech Airlines Prague

Edelweiss Air Zurich [begins 10 June] 

EgyptAir Cairo

EgyptAir Express Seasonal: Alexandria-El Nouzha

Emirates Dubai

Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi

Ethiopian Airlines Addis Ababa

Flydubai Dubai

Germania Berlin-Tegel, Düsseldorf

Gulf Air Bahrain

Iran Air Mashhad, Tehran-Imam Khomeini

Iraqi Airways Baghdad, Basra, Najaf

Jazeera Airways Kuwait

Kuwait Airways Kuwait

LOT Polish Airlines Warsaw

Lufthansa Frankfurt

Malaysia Airlines Dubai, Kuala Lumpur

Malév Hungarian Airlines Budapest

Med Airways Arbil, Baghdad, Khartoum, Sulaymaniyah

Middle East Airlines Abidjan, Abu Dhabi, Accra, Amman-Queen Alia, Arbil, Athens, Baghdad, Brussels, Cairo, Dammam, Doha, Dubai, Frankfurt, Geneva, Istanbul-Atatürk, Jeddah, Kano, Kinshasa, Kuwait, Lagos, Larnaca, London-Heathrow, Medina, Milan-Malpensa, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Riyadh, Rome-Fiumicino

Seasonal: Dusseldorf [begins 04 June], Copenhagen, Nice

Nas Air Jeddah, Riyadh

Oman Air Dubai, Muscat

Qatar Airways Doha

Pegasus Airlines İstanbul-Sabiha Gökçen

Royal Air Maroc Casablanca

Royal Jordanian Amman-Queen Alia

Saudi Arabian Airlines Dammam, Jeddah, Madinah, Riyadh

Syrian Air Brussels, Damascus

Tarom Bucharest-Henri Coandă

Tunisair Tunis

Turkish Airlines Istanbul-Atatürk

UM Airlines Kiev-Boryspil

Wataniya Airways Kuwait, Vienna

Wings of Lebanon Najaf

Yemenia Amman-Queen Alia, Sana'a

Cargo airlines

Airlines Destinations

Camel Air

Cargolux Luxembourg

DHL Express

Midex Airlines Al Ain, Paris-Orly

TMA Cargo  Amman, Amsterdam, Bahrain, Cairo, Damascus, Doha, Dubai, Jeddah, Khartoum, Kuwait, Milan-Malpensa, Nairobi, Paris-CDG, Riyadh

Passenger services

The central foyer of 2nd Level in the Main Terminal, once passport control has been cleared, during Christmas

The airport has all of the typical airport passenger facilities including duty free shops, cafes, restaurants, banks, a post office, prayer rooms and a tourist information centre (managed by the Ministry of Tourism). Additional facilities and conveniences include:

Airline lounges

The airport has three lounges for premium passengers located on the mezzanine level above the Duty Free area in the departure area. They are:

MEA's Cedar Lounge, the largest of the three lounges. It occupies half of the available lounge space, and was expanded and upgraded on August 1, 2005. It is open to non-MEA passengers.

Saudi Arabian Airlines's Golden Lounge. Only Saudi Arabian Airlines passengers are allowed to use this lounge.

LAT Lounge operated by the ground handler, Lebanese Air Transport (LAT). Open to all the other airlines' premium passengers.

Most airlines serving Beirut simply choose to use either the Cedar Lounge or the smaller LAT Lounge for their premium passengers, which is the reason why there are so few airline lounges in the airport.

Parking

The airport has a 3-level car park with a total capacity 2350 cars. Part of the car park is currently sealed off and will be opened in the future when needed.

Public transport

At the moment, there is no public transportation directly to the airport. LCC Bus Route 1 takes passengers from the airport roundabout, one kilometer from the terminal, to Rue Sadat in Hamra, whereas Route 5 takes to the Charles Helou bus station. OCFTC buses number seven and ten also stop at the airport roundabout en route to central Beirut.

Taxis are plentiful at the airport. Comfortable taxis that are authorized by the airport are parked next to the terminal in the arrivals level, and have an airport logo on the side. As these taxis are regulated by the airport authorities, they are guaranteed to be honest in their rates, but they do tend to be very expensive. Regular taxis are also available and are located a little farther from the airport, but these are not guaranteed, as the price can be negotiated. It is advised that you discuss the price prior to departing in the taxi.

In the future, there are plans to offer regularly scheduled bus services from the airport to various parts of the city, and even other parts of the country. However, as of yet, nothing has been achieved with regards to this matter. Bus shelters are already constructed at the airport.

Airport services

Ground handling providers

The airport has two ground handling operators, Middle East Airlines Ground Handling (MEAG) and Lebanese Air Transport (LAT).

Middle East Airlines Ground Handling (MEAG) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the national carrier, MEA. It provides ground handling services for the national carrier, MEA, as well as most of the carriers serving the airport, including the cargo carriers. MEAG handles nearly 80% of the traffic at the airport.

Lebanese Air Transport (LAT) is a smaller ground handling operator that conducts ground handling operations for a number of carriers serving the airport. LAT specialises in handling charter flights, but do have contracts with a number of scheduled carriers such as British Airways. Once upon a time, LAT was an airline that operated its own aircraft, however this was many years ago.

Airline catering

The airport has one catering company named Lebanese Beirut Airport Catering Company (LBACC).

Fixed Base Operators (FBO)

The airport is home to four fixed base operators for private aircraft.

MEAG recently launched its own FBO services with the opening of the new General Aviation Terminal called Cedar Jet Centre. It is now regarded as the top FBO in the airport.

Another leading FBO is Aircraft Support & Services (ASAS) which specialises in fixed base operator services for private and executive aircraft. In addition, they operate two executive jets which can be chartered to various places.

JR Executive operates a fleet of small propeller aircraft that can be chartered or leased. They also have a flight school to train people how to fly. They also conduct light maintenance on light aircraft and also offer fixed based operator services.

Cirrus Middle East, a member of the German-based Cirrus Group is partnering up with Universal Weather and Aviation to create a fixed base operator and VIP charter service to be launched on October 15 of this year. The company will initially be called Universal/Cirrus Middle East, but will eventually become Universal Aviation Beirut. They aim to become one of the top FBOs in the Middle East and will cater aircraft as large as Boeing 747s.

LAT offers limited fixed base operator services for private and executive aircraft.

Executive Aircraft Services (EAS) offers aircraft charter services, ground handling services, aircraft management and aircraft acquisition and sales.

Aircraft maintenance providers

The airport is the home base of MidEast Aircraft Services Company (MASCO), an aircraft maintenance provider that specialises in all kinds of maintenance for Airbus aircraft, particularly the A320 and A330 series of aircraft. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the national carrier, MEA. MASCO has JAR 145 approval and as a result can maintain any aircraft registered in Europe.

Statistics

Passenger use and aircraft movements have increased each year since 1990 with the exception of 2006, which saw a sharp decrease in both. Total cargo has trended upwards since 1990, but also experienced a significant decrease in 2006.

Statistics for Beirut International Airport

Year Total Passengers Total Cargo (metric tons) Total Aircraft Movements

1990 637,944 8,048

1991 837,144 44,064 10,822

1992 1,092,645 48,859 14,963

1993 1,343,289 45,539 16,581

1994 1,489,429 54,007 19,045

1995 1,672,657 49,742 20,478

1996 1,715,434 46,505 21,004

1997 1,715,434 46,505 21,004

1998 2,006,956 55,037 23,051

1999 2,222,344 54,300 25,010

2000 2,343,387 52,439 29,707

2001 2,444,851 62,789 30,627

2002 2,606,861 65,913 32,952

2003 2,840,400 65,674 34,468

2004 3,334,710 62,081 39,023

2005 3,892,356 68,852 44,295

2006 2,463,576 52,638 27,870

2007 3,009,749 59,387 32.674

2008 4,004,972 71,965 49,873

2009 4,952,899 57,545 69,724

2010 5,552,746 92,098 81,040

Accidents and incidents

On 21 November 1959, Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 202 crashed near Beirut on a flight from Beirut to Tehran, killing 24 of the 27 passengers and crew on board the Douglas DC-4.

On 23 February 1964, Vickers Viscount SU-AKX of United Arab Airlines was damaged beyond economic repair in a heavy landing.

On 30 September 1975 a Tupolev Tu-154 of Malév Hungarian Airlines, Malév Flight 240 crashed into the sea while approaching the airport. The cause and the circumstances remain mysterious, but it was most likely shot down.

On 17 May 1977 — Antonow An-12, SP-LZA, a cargo plane leased by LOT Polish Airlines from the Polish Air Force along with its crew, flying to Lebanon with a cargo of fresh strawberries crashed 8 kilometers from Beirut airport, all 6 crew members and 3 passengers on board were killed. The airplane crashed due to language problems, the crew repeated the order to descend given by the air traffic control and flew into a mountain.

On 23 July 1979, a TMA Boeing 707-320C, on a test flight for 4 co-pilots due to be promoted to captains, crashed whilst on a third touch-and-go. The plane touched down but then yawed right to left to right again before the wing clipped the ground causing the plane to flip and come to rest inverted across a taxiway. All 6 crew were killed.

On 8 January 1987, Middle East Airlines Boeing 727-323C OD-AHB was destroyed by shelling after landing.

On 25 January 2010, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409 crashed into the Mediterranean Sea shortly after take-off. The flight had 90 passengers, about 54 of which were Lebanese, and was bound for the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.

(source:wikipedia)

Middle East Airlines,ـ الخطوط الجوية اللبنانية

Middle East Airlines – Air Liban S.A.L. (Arabic: طيران الشرق الأوسط ـ الخطوط الجوية اللبنانية‎), more commonly known as Middle East Airlines (MEA) (Arabic: طيران الشرق الأوسط‎), is the national flag-carrier airline of Lebanon, with its head office in Beirut, near Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport. It operates scheduled international flights to Asia, Europe and Africa from its base at Rafic Hariri International Airport.

Middle East Airlines (MEA) is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The airline expressed its interest in becoming a SkyTeam associate member in early 2006 at a press conference in New York. On 28 February 2011, MEA airlines officially signed the partnership agreement with SkyTeam in an official ceremony in Beirut.

History

Middle East Airlines was founded on 16 May 1945 by Saeb Salam, with operational and technical support from BOAC. Operations started on 1 January 1946 using three de Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapides on flights between Beirut and Nicosia, followed by flights to Iraq, Egypt, Syria, and Cyprus. Two Douglas DC-3s were acquired in mid-1946. Pan American World Airways acquired a stake and management contract in September 1949.

Pan Am was replaced when BOAC acquired 49% of MEA's shares in 1955. A Vickers Viscount was introduced in October 1955 while an Avro York cargo aircraft was leased in June 1957. On 15 December 1960 the first of four de Havilland Comet 4Cs arrived. After the association with BOAC ended on 16 August 1961, MEA was merged with Air Liban on 7 June 1963, which gave Air France a 30% holding, since relinquished. The full title was then Middle East Airlines – Air Liban.

In 1963 MEA also took over Lebanese International Airways. The fleet was modernised with the addition of three Sud Aviation Caravelles, in April 1963; three Boeing 720Bs, in January 1966; one leased Vickers VC10, in March 1967; and a number of Boeing 707-320Cs, from November 1967.

The current name was adopted in November 1965 when the airline was completely merged with Air Liban. Although operations were interrupted by the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and by the Israeli raid on Beirut Airport in 1968, MEA restarted by acquiring a Convair 990A from American Airlines, which entered service on 24 June 1969.

A Boeing 747-200B entered service in June 1975 on the Beirut – London route and later on the Beirut-Paris-New York route from April 1983 until mid 1985. MEA had to adjust its operations to the realities of war in Lebanon between 1975 and 1991 and despite multiple closures of the base at Beirut International Airport, was able to continue operating against all odds. Airbus A310-300s were acquired in 1993 and 1994, followed by an A321-200 and the A330-200 (which replaced the A310s). From 1998 to 2002, MEA implemented its largest restructuring program ever which helped to turn it around from a loss making airline to a profitable one by 2003.

The airline has introduced self check-in kiosks at Beirut's international airport as of July 2010. The airline is also planning on launching the Arabesk Airline Alliance with six other Arab carriers. Their future plans include floating about 25% of their shares on the Beirut Stock Exchange (BSE) as part of a long-term plan to fully privatize the airline.

The airline is majority owned by the central bank of Lebanon, Banque du Liban, (99.50%) and employs around 5,000 staff group-wide (as of February 2009).

Destinations

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Middle East Airlines destinations

Middle East Airlines flies to 31 destinations  in the Middle East, Europe and West Africa. Of these destinations, Copenhagen, Nice and the upcoming service to Düsseldorf are served seasonally. MEA also operates charter flights to various leisure destinations such as Sharm El Sheikh, Marsa Alam, Antalya, Bodrum, Marmaris, and Rhodes.

Airbus A321-200 in current livery lands at London Heathrow Airport. (2010)

Although the airline does not have an extensive network compared to other international airlines, it did serve 36 destinations from Beirut in 1968. Eighteen of those routes are no longer served today.

Flights to Baghdad, which were suspended in 1984, were resumed at the end of October 2009. Flights to Berlin, which were suspended in 1998, were resumed on June 1, 2010 (summer seasonal basis). MEA started flights to Erbil (four times a week) on May 2, 2010, serviced by an Airbus A321. Flights to Brussels were resumed on June 22, 2010. These flights are flown three times a week and are serviced by an Airbus A320. Additionally, MEA reached an agreement with Brussels Airlines which will fly to a dozen African destinations to pick up passengers on behalf the Lebanese national carrier. MEA has also started flights to Kinshasa via Kano (as of December 6, 2010). Those flights are operated by an Airbus A330-200.

Moscow, Khartoum, Libreville, Luanda and Madrid have been mentioned as possible future destinations, Madrid being a former destination discontinued in 1995. In a meeting on January 20, 2010, the Lebanese tourism minister announced a deal in which MEA will be allowed to resume flights to Madrid as soon as the logistical matters are resolved.

Codeshare agreements

MEA has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:

Air Canada (Star Alliance)

Air France (SkyTeam)

Brussels Airlines (Star Alliance)

Etihad Airways

Qatar Airways

Saudi Arabian Airlines(SkyTeamFuture)

Tunisair

Yemenia

MEA also participates in SNCF's (French National Railways) tgvair program.

Fleet

Airbus A330-200 (old livery)

The MEA fleet consists of the following aircraft (at July 2010):

Middle East Airlines Fleet

Aircraft Total Orders Options Passengers

C Y Total

Airbus A320-232 5 2 0 24 102 126

Airbus A321-231 6 0 0 31 118 149

Airbus A330-243 4 0 0 44 200 244

Total 15 2 0

During an interview in March 2007 with MEA Chairman Mr. Mohamad El-Hout, he indicated that the airline had three Airbus A330s and four Airbus A319s (later converted to A320s) on order and that the airline will start taking delivery of the first aircraft in May 2007, another in 2009, and the last three in 2010.

On June 27, 2007, MEA announced it will be taking a $60,000,000 loan from the Lebanese bank Fransabank to purchase two Airbus A320s. The loan would be repaid over a 10 year period.

In early October 2007, MEA announced a modified livery for its fleet as well as an increase of its A320 order from four to six aircraft.

In November 2009, MEA placed an order for one Airbus A319 with delivery expected late 2010 to early 2011, but this was later converted to another A320 order.

Future aircraft orders

In October 2008, MEA announced that it was seeking up to eight Boeing 787s or Airbus A350s. It has asked Airbus and Boeing to submit their offers for an order consisting of five firm aircraft and three options for delivery around 2017. The final decision will be made in late 2009 or early 2010. MEA is also in talks with Bombardier for smaller aircraft to be used on regional routes.

Frequent-flyer program

MEA's frequent-flyer program is called Cedar Miles and has three different tiers, Basic, Prestige, and Elite. Prestige and Elite members gain numerous benefits such as access to the Cedar Lounge at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport as well as outstation lounges at all MEA destinations.

Cedar Miles can be earned and redeemed on all MEA flights and all flights operated by Air France, KLM, and Qatar Airways. Cedar Miles can also be earned during stays at all Rotana Hotels and all Hertz car rentals worldwide.

Only MEA and MEA codeshare flights earn qualifying miles which count towards advancing from Basic to Prestige and from Prestige to Elite. Cedar Class tickets earn double the miles traveled and full-fare Economy Class tickets earn a 25% bonus on miles traveled.

In conjunction with Bank Audi, MEA offers two Cedar Miles MasterCard credit cards, Classic and Platinum.

For corporate customers, MEA offers a Cedar Miles Visa Corporate credit card, also in conjunction with Bank Audi.

Holders of the Banque du Liban MasterCard credit card also earn Cedar Miles.

Subsidiaries

MEA owns the following subsidiaries which are operated independently:

Middle East Airlines Ground Handling (MEAG)

Founded in 1999, MEAG is the main ground handling agent at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport handling nearly 80% of all traffic. MEAG also operates a fixed base operator called Cedar Jet Center at the General Aviation Terminal.

Middle East Airports Services (MEAS)

Founded in 1998, MEAS is responsible for the operation and maintenance of Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport conducting many services ranging from cleaning the terminal to de-rubberising the runways.

Mideast Aircraft Services Company (MASCO)

Founded in 1955, MASCO is the only fully-fledged aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul provider at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport. MASCO is a part 145 EASA-approved MRO with full airframe check capabilities on the Airbus A300, A310, A320, and A330 family of aircraft. In addition, MASCO is certified to performing painting for all types of aircraft. Besides MEA, main clients include Cyprus Airways.

In addition to the above three wholly-owned subsidiaries, MEA owns 77.5% of the Lebanese Beirut Airport Catering Company (LBACC) which is the only catering provider at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport

Accidents and incidents

A MEA aircraft was destroyed during a confrontation between Israelis and the PLO in 1982

On 1 February 1963, Vickers Viscount OD-ADE was in a mid-air collision with C-47 CBK28 of the Turkish Air Force. Both aircraft crashed in Ankara, killing all 14 on board the Viscount, all three on board the C-47 and a further 87 people on the ground.

On 21 April 1964, Vickers Viscount OD-ACX of Middle East Airlines was damaged beyond economic repair at El Arish, Egypt.

On 28 December 1968, Vickers Viscount OD-ACT of Middle East Airlines was destroyed in a raid by Israeli Commandos at Beirut International Airport.

On 1 January 1976, Flight 438, operated by Boeing 720B OD-AFT broke up in mid-air after a bomb was allegedly placed in the forward cargo compartment exploded. All 81 people on board were killed. The aircraft crashed near Al Qaysumah, Saudi Arabia, where international investigators were not allowed near the crash site for 4 weeks.

On 8 January 1987, Boeing 707-323C OD-AHB was destroyed by shelling after landing at Beirut International Airport.

 

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