TMA flys again
21 / 10 / 2010
TRANS Mediterranean Airlines (TMA) has re-started operations after an extended recovery from financial losses.
The airline, Lebanon’s only air cargo carrier, first ceased operations on 2004 due to concerns over its fleet of 707s and debts of US$60 million. It had suffered severe competition from Lebanon’s flag carrier, Middle East Airlines, which had started to carry cargo on its then new fleet of A300 passenger jets.
Mazen Bsat, owner of Med Airways, subsequently bought TMA and its debts in 2008. It finished building new cold-storage facilities at Rafik Hariri International Airport in 2009 and a new A300-600F in February of this year.
The airline says that it will start flying to Europe twice a week, to increase to four, and the UAE one a week.