Update on travel to Libya - airports and general travel

Tripoli International Airport (TIP) – CURRENTLY CLOSED

TIP remains closed, with immense external and internal damages following the recent fighting, our sources have reported that a great deal of tidy up work has already taken place with ongoing work on the main runway. The plan is to open a temporary terminal until the damaged main building can be restored or new terminals can be finished.

Tripoli Matiga International Airport - OPEN

Matiga Airport operations are currently accepting international flights as per our flight information below. This is being very closely monitored and reviewed on a daily basis due to the airstrikes last month and threats made by the HoR of new strikes In the future. At present Medavia are carrying out daily flights in and out of Malta with a 10 day booking window and is proving to be a good reliable service.

Misrata International Airport - OPEN

Misrata International airport is situated on the western side of Misrata with a well organised and small arrival and departure terminal and has daily flights to Istanbul with Turkish Airways and is a 2.5 hour drive to Tripoli. The airstrikes on Misrata port, training academy and the airport itself on the 04 January 2015 have put this option under scrutiny again and with threats of further strikes to follow.

Benghazi’s Benina International Airport – CURRENTLY CLOSED

Benina International Airport in Benghazi is currently closed for all operations until further notice. Libyan airlines have recently made a statement that they will soon begin their operations back in Benina, although given the current situation this would seem to be a very optimistic statement until Benghazi can be classed as completely safe.

Labraq International Airport - OPEN

Labraq airport which is situated in the east of Libya close to Al Bayda and 200km from Benghazi and is still operational and accepting certain international flights such as Afriqyah and Libyan Airways.

Ras Jadir Border Crossing Point Between Libya and Tunisia – OPEN

The Ras Jadir border crossing point with Tunisia has reopened after being closed till the 24th December 2014 due to the Tunisian presidential elections and to improve security. Given the ongoing fighting within the west of Libya and certainly in the vicinity of the Ras Jadir border crossing we will continue to monitor this option on a daily basis.

The Port Salloum Border Crossing Between Libya and Egypt – OPEN

The European Union announced on 11 December 2014, that it had formally banned Libya’s airlines from entering EU airspace, due to concerns regarding the ability of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in Libya to ensure safety in the aviation sector. The ban includes Afriqiyah Airways, Libyan Airlines, Air Libya, Buraq Air, Ghadames Air Transport, Global Aviation and Petro Air.

Egypt has continued to prevent flights to or from airports controlled by Libya Dawn, while Algeria has also blocked its airspace to Libyan airlines as of 13 December 2014. Turkey implemented a similar ban, although it is believed that this was only a temporary move and that flights will soon restart.

With thanks to SNE Projects for this update.

Photo: contact details for airlines.