After 10 years! Italy resumed flights to Libya

Italy is the first major European country to resume flights with Libya, which was announced at the end of last year. The company announced that it will have two direct flights a week from Rome’s Fiumicino Airport to Mitigi Airport in Tripoli.

Many international airlines have suspended flights to and from Libya since the outbreak of civil war in 2014 between two rival administrations in the east and west of the country. The war broke out after a NATO-backed uprising that overthrew Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Some companies have resumed flights to Libya when security is restored after 2020 and the cessation of major fighting. But efforts to end the political crisis fail and armed conflicts between rival factions for control of resources occasionally break out.

The European Union still does not allow Libyan civilian aircraft into its airspace.

The Minister of Transport of the Government of National Unity in Tripoli, Muhammad al-Shahubi, said that the resumption of ITA flights between Tripoli and Rome is a confirmation of “the safety of the Libyan airspace and the suitability of the airports”.

He added that Tripoli is ready to grant ITA additional rights to connect Libyan airports with other destinations in the European Union.

Libya is looking forward to the return of Royal Air Maroc, Qatar Airways and Saudi Airlines in the first half of this year, he said.

He also pointed out that the planes of companies from Tunisia, Egypt, Malta, Turkey and Jordan are moreć resumed direct flights to Libya.