The Ministry of Transport reported today that its Minister, Mohamed Al-Shahoubi, inaugurated the Air Traffic Management Centre — located next to Tripoli International Airport.
The Ministry said this comes as part of efforts to complete the plan for upgrading air navigation services in accordance with the latest approved international standards and regulations.
The event was attended by Lieutenant General Abdel-Fattah Al-Ballouq, Chief of Staff of Air Defence; representatives of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force; specialists from the Civil Aviation Authority and the Air Defence Staff; and the centre’s technical personnel.
During the inauguration, the operational workflow, coverage range, and advantages offered by the modern equipment and technologies were reviewed. Additionally, direct communication operations were monitored between air traffic control and aircraft transiting Libyan airspace near the Kufra region and the Egyptian border, confirming the depth of coverage and quality of communication.
Encourage more international airlines to resume transiting through Libyan airspace
The Ministry said the opening of this centre marks a significant qualitative leap in meeting the requirements for managing air traffic within Libyan airspace and enhances the ability to attract and encourage more international airlines to resume transiting through Libyan airspace.
The Minister emphasized the importance of updating cooperation and coordination agreements between the Civil Aviation Authority and the Air Defence Staff to ensure the optimal utilization of resources available to both parties. He also called for a focus on training and qualifying technical personnel to meet future needs and adhere to approved requirements and standards.
For his part, the Chief of Staff of Air Defence expressed full readiness to provide all possible facilities and to expand the scope of cooperation and joint operations with the Civil Aviation sector, in the interest of the public good.
No further details, including Tripoli International Airport's exact official opening date, were revealed.
Fourth quarter of 2026?
However, it will be recalled that the Tripoli government’s Ministry of Transport inadvertently confirmed during a meeting that the opening date for the newly constructed Tripoli International Airport will be in ‘‘the fourth quarter of 2026’’.
The old Tripoli International Airport had been destroyed in militia fighting in the summer of 2014. The airport was initially being constructed by a consortium of Italian companies and was supposed to open in 2024.
It will be recalled that, despite several enquiries, the Tripoli authorities had refused over the last few months to confirm the opening date for Tripoli International Airport. They had also refused to provide an updated photograph of the construction of the airport.
Unauthorised personnel, including media, have been denied by a strict security cordon access to the airport’s construction site.
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