Libyan Airlines (LN, Tripoli Mitiga) has suspended all flights to Europe effective immediately following a directive from the Libyan Civil Aviation Authority (LyCAA). The flights are currently operated using a wet-leased Nouvelair (BJ, Monastir) A320-200, TS-INN (cn 793).

"We have suspended Nouvelair flights after an incident involving a loss of communications,” Director General of Libya’s Civil Aviation Authority (LYCAA) Captain Nasereddin Shaebelain told the Libya Herald. “It seems the plane entered French airspace without informing Air Traffic Control and then remained out of communication almost until it entered UK airspace.”

Libyan currently serves Manchester International and London Heathrow in the United Kingdom as well as Madrid Barajas and Malta International.

Shaebelain says the LyCAA has now opened a formal investigation into the incident. The restriction, he added, was on the private Tunisian company Nouvelair rather than Libyan Airlines.

Libyan Airlines and sister airline Afriqiyah Airways (8U, Tripoli Mitiga) are unable to operate their own aircraft to Europe owing to their presence on the European Banned Operators' List.