BEIRUT: Middle East Airlines has fired the female staff member involved in a racist incident over the weekend, according to a company official. The airline said Tuesday on its Facebook page that “severe disciplinary action” had been taken against the two staff members involved in the incident, but an anonymous MEA official told the Associated Press that the female employee had been dismissed.

 

The punishment followed an online petition demanding an apology from MEA after a flier, Abed Shaheen, witnessed an MEA employee singling out Filipino and Nepalese customers over the loudspeaker Saturday evening at the Beirut airport, instructing them to be quiet and laughing at them in a mocking way. Her male colleague was encouraging her, Shaheen said. [Link]