Libya’s Kufra Airport published a snap graphic last Sunday morning (16 March) of several foreign carriers flying over its airspace, including flights by Egypt Air, Emirates, (Nigeria’s) Max Air and Qatar Air.
As the graphic illustrates, Kufra Airport is located deep in the southeastern desert corner of Libya in the triangle between the Egyptian, Sudanese and Chadian borders.
The airport is about 1,724 kms by road from the capital Tripoli and 1,025 kms from the regional eastern capital Benghazi.
Kufra Airport expressed thanks and appreciation to its air traffic control and all airport employees for their efforts in providing safe navigation for these foreign carriers over Libya’s isolated region.
A recognition of Libya’s safe airspace
The graphic of the congested skies over Kufra Airport isa recognition of the safety of Libya’s airspace and that Libya has the radar coverage and ability to deal with emergency landings.
Egypt Air emergency landing at Kufra Airport
It will be recalled, and as reported by Libya Herald, that the state Libyan Company for Ground Services had reported that an Egypt Air flight was forced to make an emergency landing at Kufra Airport in January this year.
The emergency was due to the sudden illness of one of the flight attendants on board. The flight attendant had suffered a drop in the level of blood sugar and high blood pressure.
All necessary services were provided
The Libyan Company for Ground Services reported that the preset emergency plan was provided and applied, and all necessary services were provided with high quality to the plane and crew.
Ground services available 24/7 to all flights crossing Libyan airspace
The Libyan Ground Services Company assured that the company’s stations at all Libyan airports are ready to operate 24 hours to provide ground services to all flights of airlines crossing Libyan airspace.
Good news for Libya’s efforts to lift EU flight ban
The news of the successful processing of the emergency landing of the Egypt Air flight at Kufra airport is good news for Libya. The Libyan government has been working hard over the last ten years to reinstate foreign carrier flights to Libyan airports – including flights crossing its airspace.
Overflights provide valuable revenue
Libya had been losing billions of US dollars’ worth of revenue from fees for flights over its airspace. The successful Egypt Air emergency landing at the very remote Kufra airport should help allay fears and encourage more flights into crossing Libya’s vast airspace.
The government’s efforts have come with success, with ITA Airways resuming direct flights between Tripoli and Rome in January this year. Other flights that have started or resumed over the last few months/years include, MedSky, Turkish Airlines, Egypt Air, and Royal Jordanian.
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