TL back into Benghazi
Turkish Airlines, a member of the Star Alliance, is set to resume flights to Benghazi, Libya, after a hiatus of more than a decade. The airline plans to introduce a new route connecting Istanbul Airport and Benina International Airport, starting on January 14, 2025.
The service will operate three times per week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, using a mix of Boeing 737-800 and 737-900 aircraft. The carrier had previously suspended operations to Libya in November 2014 due to political instability following the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that overthrew longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The unrest led to the emergence of rival administrations in eastern and western Libya, effectively halting international air service. However, in April 2024, Turkish Airlines resumed flights to Libya, with five weekly roundtrips to Tripoli's Mitiga International Airport. Now, Benghazi will become the airline's second destination in the country.
According to OAG Schedules Analyser, Benghazi's Benina International Airport is currently served by several other international carriers, including Afriqiyah Airways, Berniq Airways, Libyan Airlines, Belavia, and Egyptair, connecting the city to destinations in Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Belarus, and Saudi Arabia. The reintroduction of Turkish Airlines' Istanbul-Benghazi service comes as Italy's ITA Airways prepares to launch a new route connecting Rome Fiumicino Airport and Mitiga International Airport in Tripoli, starting on January 12, 2025.
This service will operate twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays, using Airbus A319 aircraft. It's worth noting that the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has extended its flight ban over Libyan airspace until the end of April 2025, citing a "high risk" of intentional or unintentional attacks on civil aviation. However, exceptions are allowed for flights to coastal airports, such as Mitiga International Airport, under specific conditions, including approaches from the sea, full coordination with local authorities and air traffic control, and the completion of a thorough risk assessment.
