Employees of Libya’s Afriqiyah Airways staged a peaceful protest in Tripoli, demanding the immediate suspension of the current Board of Directors, accusing it of leading the company toward imminent collapse due to years of financial mismanagement, administrative corruption, and a lack of vision.
In a statement issued during the demonstration, the employees expressed deep concern over the airline’s deteriorating situation, citing mounting debts, suspended flight operations due to unpaid insurance fees, and major losses in revenue and destinations. They warned of a total shutdown if swift action is not taken.
Current Crisis and Key Issues
The statement highlighted severe challenges facing the company, including:
Suspension of most aircraft operations
Accumulated debts and inability to meet operational obligations
Suspicious financial decisions and unexplained expenditures, resulting in massive losses
Ignored reform calls by employees and unions, with some staff even receiving threats for exposing internal violations
Staff Demands
Protesters outlined four urgent demands:
Immediate suspension of the current Board and appointment of a new qualified, non-partisan management team with proven aviation experience, tasked with preparing a time-bound recovery strategy.
Swift investigation into financial and administrative violations reported to the Minister of Transportation, Attorney General, and regulatory bodies, with full accountability for those responsible for harming the airline and public funds.
Immediate halt to any plans to sell company assets or lease aircraft.
Dissolution of the Libyan Afriqiyah Airways Holding Company and placing Afriqiyah Airways directly under the Ministry of Transportation’s supervision.
Employees Vow Escalation
The employees stressed that their actions are driven by sincere efforts to save the national carrier, warning that failure to meet their demands would lead to an open-ended strike until reforms are enacted and responsible parties are held accountable.
They issued an urgent appeal to Libya’s Prime Minister and Minister of Transportation, urging immediate intervention to rescue the airline, which provides income for over 1,600 Libyan families and serves as a critical pillar of the country’s aviation sector.
