Every year around this time you will hear of new start-up airlines obtaining the cheapest heaps of junk available, they will get these into flying condition and then chase Hajj contracts. Then the fun begins, if the aircraft keeps flying they may make enough money to survive the 3 month period and pay their crews, if not, then the crews will get dumped somewhere.
History repeats itself every year, L1011's, B747 Classics, DC10s and some Russian aircraft are usually used.
So yep, i would say that the ME is the L1011 recycling plant
Mutt