By Libya Herald reporters.
Tripoli, 26 June 2015:
The EU has, not unexpectedly, maintained its block on all seven Libyan airlines flying their . . .[restrict]aircraft in European airspace.
The EU Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc yesterday said that Libyan carriers were still proscribed on the EU Safety List, which originally banned them last December.
Until then, the Libyan Civil Aviation Authority had voluntarily imposed a ban on local airlines flying to Europe. The core problem was chaotic paperwork kept by the LCAA and some airlines. It could thus not be shown that essential checks and certification of both flight deck crew and ground engineers had been carried out. As Tripoli descended into chaos and the LCCA seemed disinclined to respond to instructions from the government in Beida, the EU decided to impose a formal ban.
Afriqiyah Airways had already started wet-leasing planes and crew from other carriers. This markedly higher-cost option was ended temporarily when the airline re-registered three of its new Airbus jets in Ireland. This arrangement that lasted until Misrata airport had its first airstrike. At this point the “Irish” Afriqiyah aircraft could no longer be insured.
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