by en.annahar.com — BEIRUT: Middle East Airlines launched its first direct flight to Madrid on Saturday from Beirut’sRafiq Hariri International Airport. A number of Lebanese officials were on board Flight #24, including caretaker Ministers Nouhad al-Mashnouq, Jamal al-Jarrah, Youssef Fenianos and Melhem Riachi, as well as Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Ministry Director-General Hani Shmeitili, Tourism Ministry Director-General Nada al-Sardouk and Economy Ministry Director-General Alya Abbas, alongside several other prominent officials. For his part, Riachi praised MEA and its Chairman Mohamed al-Hout “who undertook this initiative move, which began with Spain, but will also include Portugal, Argentina and other Latin American countries. » Fenianos also highlighted the economic benefit of this move, which will boost the tourism as “bookings have increased by approximately 80 percent.