Afriqiyah Airways (8U, Tripoli Mitiga) along with Libyan Airlines (LN, Tripoli Mitiga) and all other Libyan carriers have been collectively banned from operating in European airspace after the European Commission ruled that the Libyan Civil Aviation Authority (LyCAA) could no longer fulfil its mandate as a regulatory body in line with international requirements.
“Recent events in Libya have led to a situation whereby the Civil Aviation Authority is no longer able to fulfil its international obligations with regard to the safety of the Libyan aviation sector. My priority in aviation is passenger safety, which is non-negotiable, and we stand ready to help the Libyan aviation sector as soon as the situation on the ground will allow for this," Violeta Bulc, EU Commissioner for Transport, said.
Neighbour Egypt last week announced it was banning local carriers from serving Tripoli Mitiga and Misurata after they fell into the hands of local Islamist militias.
Both moves are a severe blow to the North African country's growing aviation industry.
Following the fall of the Muammur Gaddafi regime in 2011 and prior to the near overthrow of Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni's government in August, the country and its airlines had invested heavily in upgrading aeronautical infrastructure, personnel, and aircraft in a bid to secure full exemption from the European Commission's Banned Operators List.
