Lebanon's airline disciplines employee after she told Filipino passengers to 'stop talking'

BEIRUT – Lebanon's national airline says it has disciplined an employee after a passenger complained on Facebook and Twitter that ground staff singled out passengers from the Philippines at the Beirut airport and told them over the loudspeaker: "Filipino people, stop talking."

MEA did not say on Tuesday what happened, only that the employee was disciplined. An airline official says the employee was fired. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case.

Businessman Abed Shaheen says he witnessed Saturday's incident and complained, but was brushed off. The airline promised an investigation after a social media campaign.

More than 200,000 Asian and African women work as maids in Lebanon. Rights activists have urged the government to do more to protect them from abuse and discrimination.