Italy’s ITA airways to resume flights to Tripoli

ITA Airways will resume flights to Tripoli, marking the first return of a major European carrier to  Libya’s capital despite ongoing security concerns, according to a report in the trade publication Flight global. ITA’s twice-weekly flights, starting  January 12, will operate to Mitiga airport near the coast rather than Tripoli’s main inland airport.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has advised carriers to avoid Libyan airspace due to risks of attack on civil aircraft, but it exempts coastal airports, provided approaches are coordinated with Libyan authorities and air traffic control. EASA mandates robust risk assessments for such routes.

Flights will depart from Rome Fiumicino, using Airbus A319s. ITA attributes the route’s reopening to support from the Italian government and aviation regulators in both countries. Andrea Benassi, ITA’s general manager, called Libya an “important market,” emphasizing the route’s potential to boost trade and support Italian businesses in Libya. Tripoli will be ITA’s 55th destination this winter.