A Brussels decision to ban all Libyan airlines from operating in European airspace will not affect two passenger planes stranded in Malta and belonging to Afriqiyah Airways. A senior airport source said the two jet liners were Irish registered so did not fall under the jurisdiction of the Libyan civil aviation authorities, despite Afriqiyah Airways being a Libyan airline.

The two Airbus planes were transferred to Malta by the Libyan airline to shelter them from the turmoil that hit Tripoli airport over the past six months.

“These aircraft could fly at any time,” the airport source said.

There are two other small Libyan aircraft caught in Malta that belong to a Libyan private company.

Libya has far bigger problems, and the seaircraft would have remained here anyway

However, the source said the latest move by the European Commission would make no material difference on the ground.

“Libya has far bigger problems and with or without the ban, these aircraft would have remained here anyway. But if the private owners decided to fly out of Malta to a non-European country, it would be the Civil Aviation Authorities who decide whether to allow this or not.”

Last week’s decision by the European Commission to ban all Libyan airlines was prompted by the deteriorating security situation in the North African state.

European Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc said recent events in that country led to a situation in which the Civil Aviation Authority was no longer able to fulfil its international obligations with regard to safety in the Libyan aviation sector.