Italian airline Alitalia is operating regular commercial flights to Tripoli but Air Malta remains unconvinced that any airport in Libya is safe enough for it to start doing the same despite pleas from the business sector.
Although the operating conditions have improved, the airline’s minimum operating standards have not yet been met
Alitalia started flights to Mitiga Airport, a former military field near the city centre, last week. Its operations have now been extended to Tripoli International Airport, which has been refurbished after the damage it sustained in attacks during the crisis.
Turkish Airlines has also commenced flights to the North African country, according to AFP news agency.
Air Malta has still to evaluate the Tripoli airport, which it is now planning to do next week. It sent a technical delegation to Libya two weeks ago and said that while it evaluated the situation in Benghazi it was unable to do the same in Tripoli airport due to “safety concerns”. Even the situation in Benghazi did not persuade Air Malta to begin operations.
Asked for an update yesterday, Air Malta said its team reviewed the various factors that affected its decision to start flying to Libya including the safety and security of passengers and cargo, legal matters, insurance premiums, visa processing and slot approvals.
“Each day, the team is continuing to monitor closely the evolving situation and developments. Although the operating conditions have improved, the airline’s minimum operating standards have not yet been met. However, the situation is getting better and the airline expects that a formal announcement of the commencement of operations will be made soon.”
The scanning of cargo was not yet up to scratch, which was particularly worrying in a country where weapons were still exchanging hands easily, civil aviation industry sources noted.
There was also a legal quandary stopping big airlines, like Lufthansa, from being as aggressive as Alitalia, particularly the fact that the EU Council resolution for a no-fly zone had not yet officially been lifted, the sources added.
Lufthansa had planned to start flying to Libya on November 19 but this was now postponed to December 1, the sources said.