By Tom Westcott.
Tripoli, 6 December 2013:
Libyan Airlines and Afriqiyah Airways are still not allowed to . . .[restrict]fly their own aircraft in EU airspace, following the latest meeting of the EU Air Safety Committee.
Consultations were held with the Libyan Civil Aviation Authority (LYCAA), the Air Safety Committee said, and it noted “that progress continues to be made.” It agreed, however, with the LYCAA: “That it remains necessary to maintain the voluntary restrictions not to fly to the EU, which are applied since the Libyan revolution to all airlines licensed in Libya.”
After the revolution, the LYCAA opted for the voluntarily restrictions, rather than being given an offical ban. The implementation of these restrictions remains under close monitoring by the EC and the EU Air Safety Committee.
One of the main reasons for the continued restrictions has been a requirement to recertify Libyan pilots. After the July meeting of the Air Safety Committee, Director General of the LYCAA, Captain Nasereddin Shaebelain, told the Libya Herald that this had been taking longer than expected.
Shaebelain had said he hoped the process would be completed by the end of the year but added that the LYCAA was keen to take its time and ensure that all the correct standards were met.
The restrictions mean that Libyan Airlines and Afriqiyah will continue to service their European routes with wet-leased aircraft and crew. [/restrict]
