- It's my first time flying the Cedar Jet.
(lighthearted upbeat music)
- [Flight Attendant] Hello. - [Sam] Thank you.
- Welcome to MEA Cedar Jet 427.
- This is their latest aeroplane, 321neo.
(aeroplane engine roaring)
- [Automated Woman's Voice] Runway one, two.
(lighthearted upbeat music)
- [Flight Attendant] So, I'm starting some Lebanese cuisine.
- [Sam] Just kind of puts a lot of European
and American carrier to shame.
- [Pilot] So now we are returning final soon.
Watch out for the nice coast of Beirut.
- [Automated Voice Warning System] 30, 20, recharge.
(lighthearted upbeat music)
- I was here, in this point, 16 years ago.
(aeroplane engine roaring)
- The lights that we can see are powered by generators.
- [Sam] And there's no traffic light as well.
And this is a legal robbery.
With the money I got exchange at a black market rate,
it's only $3 or a little less.
(upbeat instrumental music)
What a beautiful morning, Lebanon.
Today, we're going to go out to see a lot of natural beauties.
(water gushing) (upbeat instrumental music)
This is my tour guide, Rubah. - Hello!
- Doesn't she look like a high school student, right?
(upbeat instrumental music)
This is a million years ago from Lebanon
and it's still currently in one of the most
amazing grotto I visited.
(lighthearted piano music)
Oh wow, look at this. It's all blue water.
This is amazing!
I'm in this natural Disneyland of Lebanon,
looking through the cave formation
of lower water on the boat ride.
This is scenic.
(lighthearted uplifting music)
(upbeat music)
Well, we just got to the cable car station,
riding on Teleferique to go up to the top,
but looks like there's a power shortage.
The cable car got stuck.
- This is amazing.
We're going right past these
high rise apartment buildings.
It feels like we're in Hong Kong.
- [Sam] Yeah. - Maybe even Kai Tak.
- This is the coastal city,
a very famous coastal city in Lebanon.
We are going all the way to Harissa,
passing through a very beautiful, pine forest.
At Harissa, we'll be at 650 metres above sea level
and we will have a very beautiful panoramic view
over the Bay of Jounieh.
(lighthearted uplifting music)
- Loving it.
I felt I'm in the Monte Carlo of the Middle East.
Isn't it beautiful place?
(playful funky music)
- People think of Middle East Airlines
as the Christmas tree airline,
but actually it's a Cedar tree,
which is the national symbol of this country.
(brooding music)
- So, my worst fear came true.
We got stuck inside the Teleferique in the middle,
maybe a couple hundred feet right here.
Like, just yo-yoing, swinging here.
- Yeah.
- The advantage of a brief power cut
is you get extra time to enjoy the beautiful view.
(lighthearted enchanted music)
- I also visited Byblos, at the coast of Lebanon.
It was so beautiful by the sea.
So you might ask is Lebanon safe to visit?
To me, it's actually quite safe.
There are lots of self-turned tour guides
and content creator these days in Lebanon
due to the economic crisis.
But Lebanon isn't exactly cheap.
Even Lebanese pound has lost the value.
The prices are just keep going up.
The country is definitely not experiencing a golden age,
but all the people I've met on the trip
are extremely hospitable.
Even through the tough time, they still want their guest
to enjoy the most in their country.
I'll be back for sure.
(aeroplane engine roaring)
(upbeat instrumental music)
Back at Beirut Airport, it's time to go home.
Had lot of fun in three days, time flies.
(fast-paced upbeat techno music)
- Hello.
(scanner beeping)
Welcome.
- [Sam] Thank you.
(fast-paced upbeat music)
The centrepiece of lounge is the Cedar tree.
I just love it. It's really, really fruitful.
They have a tree and also a lot of sunshine
in the lounge, right?
- Sam, I'm sorry to say, this is not a Cedar tree.
But it still is beautiful to have a tree in the lounge.
- [Sam] And baby crying.
- And a baby crying.
(fast-paced techno music)
- The first time I came to Lebanon was in 1993
and the whole fleet looked like that retro livery.
The airlines changed since then and so is the country.
Right now, it's in the middle of a financial crisis,
but the Lebanese are so talented
and capable and entrepreneurial.
And perhaps, the crisis is an opportunity for another change
and another new way of living.
(fast-paced techno music)
- Welcome aboard, sir. - You're welcome, sir.
- [Sam] Thank you.
- Thank you. Welcome aboard.
(fast-paced techno music)
- Well, they have this gigantic cabin
and then I'm just sitting behind door number two.
So you can see like, it's a wide open cabin.
And this is probably the longest exit row I've seen.
- You're welcome, sir.
- [Sam] Orange juice.
- Welcome aboard.
- [Sam] Oh, thank you.
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- Hello, my name is Aydee Ayutz.
I'm the first officer for today's flight,
with me is Captain Hadyi Haj.
We are operating ME428 from Beirut to Dubai.
We will be climbing at altitude 39,000 feet
and flying at mach decimal 82.
Flying time for today is two hours and 55 minutes,
and will be departing from runway three, four in Beirut.
- [Air Traffic Controller] We heard that.
428 requesting taxi.
- [Radio] Cedar 428 taxi (indistinct)
three, five.
Landing and take off?
(indistinct)
- [Air Traffic Controller] Request take off
(indistinct)
one, one, nine, decimal three,
Cedar Jet 428.
- [Automated Woman's Voice] On runway three, four.
- [Captain] Staff advised.
(indistinct)
- [First Officer] Checked.
(aeroplane engine revving)
- [Air Traffic Controller] Whiskey, delta, (indistinct)
three, five, report, final. I have you inside.
- [Captain] Three, one.
- [First Officer] Rotate.
Positive climb.
- [Captain] Get up.
- [First Officer] Beirut (indistinct)
four, two, eight airborne (indistinct)
- [Air Traffic Controller] (indistinct) Climb shortly
with two, five, zero.
- [First Officer] Climb decimals two, five, zero.
(indistinct)
(upbeat instrumental music)
- So I'm on this older A330.
The one thing I know is there's unlimited leg room.
There's no shortage of room.
If you're sitting in row five, that's the exit row.
This cabin reminded me of the old, Lufthansa seats,
angle, flat seats.
It's actually built by Recaro.
There's actually a logo on the seats here.
- You're welcome, sir. - [Sam] Thank you.
(lighthearted upbeat music)
- Sir, I have a special meal for you, keto.
- [Sam] It's a keto meal?
- Yes.
- [Sam] Oh no!
- [Flight Attendant] Delicious mushroom.
- [Sam] Oh, okay.
We'll skip the keto today.
After landing, I'll start keto again.
- I have shrimps with rice.
Chicken with vegetable and steak with rice, risotto.
- [Sam] Okay, steak. Steak can do keto as well.
- [Flight Attendant] Yes. - [Sam] Yeah.
- [Flight Attendant] Yeah.
(upbeat instrumental music)
- I was a little confused when I get on board.
Thought I was flying a Russian airline,
when I saw this lady here, Pearla.
Where are you actually from?
- I'm Lebanese. I'm pure, pure Lebanese.
- [Sam] You're pure Lebanese? - Yeah.
- [Sam] Look at your hair.
I think you've done something to your hair.
Look at that. Wow! Yeah.
(Pearla laughs)
So how's life in Lebanon for you?
- Wow! Amazing.
- [Sam] You still love it - Yeah.
- [Sam] Even you have problems and-
- Yes. Yes. - [Sam] Yeah.
How often do you go to beach?
- Everyday.
- [Sam] Everyday?
- Yeah. - [Sam] Show me the colours.
- This is my colour.
- [Sam] I'll show you mine, here.
We have the same colour, no?
- Yeah. I live in Byblos. - [Sam] Olive skin.
Oh, you do it- - I go everyday to the beach.
- [Sam] every day. - Yeah.
- [Sam] Natural in a beach.
- Yeah, yeah.
- [Sam] Wow.
- I live in Byblos.
- [Sam] I'll see you next time in your beach there.
(Sam laughs) - Yes, sure, you can.
- My name is Eddie.
- [Sam] Eddie.
How come MEA have a lots of ladies,
and you're the only man I saw so far on my flight?
- I don't know.
Maybe 'cause ladies are good looking more.
They attract passengers more.
- [Sam] I think you need bigger shirt, man.
Show off your muscles. (Eddie laughs)
Look at this.
How often do you do workout man?
- Everyday.
- [Sam] Everyday?
- Yes. Everyday.
- [Sam] So, the lady here go to the beach everyday.
- Everyday.
- [Sam] And the man go to the gym everyday.
- Yes.
- [Sam] Wow! What a lifestyle.
What a lifestyle.
- And we do salsa together.
- [Sam] Oh, you're dancing partners, too.
- Yeah. - Yes. We are partners.
- [Sam] Yeah. Partner in crime. MEA partner.
(Pearla and Eddie laughs)
(upbeat instrumental music)
- [Air Traffic Controller] (indistinct) 48, 45, (indistinct)
- [First Officer] 45 (indistinct)
48. Thanks.
- [Air Traffic Controller] (indistinct)
to 2000 feet maintenance be two, one (indistinct)
- [First Officer] Send 2000 feet unrestricted.
Two, one, zero, and also greater.
We have four, two, eight.
(indistinct)
Four, two, eight
We are established on the island, show me
three, zero, one. (indistinct)
- [Air Traffic Controller] (indistinct)
plan to vacate left at kilo, niner
- [First Officer] Plan to vacate left, kilo, niner
continue approach jet four, two, eight
- [Air Traffic Controller] Four, two, eight,
one, two, four, zero degrees
five knots, runway three, zero left clear to land.
- [First Officer] Clear to land on nine, three, zero left.
Four, two, eight,
- [Automated Voice Warning System] 200,
100,
50,
40,
30,
20, recharge,
10,
five.
- [First Officer] Reverse green spoilers.
We are decelerating
and we, it's the first facade tight speed to the left,
so, I'm going to bounce through it.
Kilo 11, kilo 10, kilo nine is right up ahead.
70 knots.
Perfect.
- [Air Traffic Controller] Two, zero, four, two, eight,
taxi right on kilo,
hold kilo, kilo.
- [First Officer] Right on kilo hold, kilo, kilo
zero, four, two, eight.
- [Automated Woman's Voice] Good evening taxi,
kilo, charlie slash two.
- [First Officer] Kilo, charlie, five, two,
zero, four, two, eight.
Thank you very much.
(wind swooshing)
(bell dings)
(popping sound)