Lebanese airline scraps US-dollar fare plan

Crisis-hit Lebanon’s national carrier has said it is scrapping plans to only accept payments in US dollars, a decision that had earlier sparked anger among Lebanese.

Lebanon is in the throes of an economic meltdown and a biting liquidity crunch that has seen the local currency depreciate on the parallel market and banks impose stringent controls on withdrawals and transfers abroad.

Earlier the state-run National News Agency reported that “from Monday, Middle East (Airlines) and other airline companies operating in Lebanon will only accept payments in US dollars”.