On Saturday, Libya’s Minister of Transport, Mohamed Shahoubi, announced that Turkish Airlines are set to resume their flights to and from Mitiga Airport starting next week.
This decision comes on the heels of the signing of two memorandums of understanding (MoU) between the Libyan Civil Aviation Authority and Turkish Airlines, following the completion of all necessary technical conditions.
In a statement to the “Our Government” Facebook platform, Shahoubi indicated that Turkish Airlines would commence its operations with Mitiga Airport next week and plans to gradually extend its services to other Libyan airports.
Last week, Khaled Nasr Al-Suwaissi, Deputy Minister of Transportation for Air Transport Affairs in the Libyan Government of National Unity (GNU), received a MoU from the Turkish Ambassador to Libya, Kenan Yilmaz, regarding the return of Turkish Airlines to Libyan airports.
The Ministry of Transportation stated that the Turkish Ambassador delivered the MoU to Al-Suwaissi for review and consideration, to enable the parties to sign it at the earliest opportunity.
Furthermore, on February 19th, a pivotal meeting between Mohamed Salem Shahoubi, the Minister of Transportation, and Ambassador Yilmaz, resulted in an agreement to expedite the necessary preparations for Turkish Airlines’ return to Libya. This collaboration underscores a concerted effort to facilitate the airline’s re-entry and operational expansion across the country.
The reintroduction of Turkish Airlines flights, beginning with Mitiga Airport, is a critical milestone in Libya’s broader initiative to revive its aviation industry, which has been marred by years of conflict and instability.
Notably, Libya’s Civil Aviation Authority’s head, Mohammed Shlibek, has recently expressed a strong possibility of the European Union lifting its flight ban on Libyan airlines by April 2024.
The optimistic stance comes in the wake of favorable international audit reports on the country’s aviation infrastructure, as highlighted by the Libyan Observer.
The European Union (EU) flight ban, imposed in 2014 in the aftermath of the Libyan revolution and the ensuing unrest, has kept Libyan airlines from European skies due to persistent safety concerns. However, the forthcoming re-opening of Tripoli International Airport, as announced by Libyan Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbaiba, signals a country on the mend, ready to comply with international safety standards and renew its aviation ties.
This renewed confidence is echoed by several Arab and international carriers, including Ita Airways, Turkish Airlines, and Qatar Airways, which have indicated their readiness to resume flights to and from Libya, marking a positive shift in the country’s aviation landscape.
