Libyan Airlines (LN, Tripoli Mitiga) and sister carrier, Afriqiyah Airways (8U, Tripoli Mitiga), have reduced their operations by up to 70% as a result of the ongoing turmoil currently affecting the North African country. With the airlines having now sustained over USD3billion in damages to their respective fleets, Bermuda-based specialty insurance firm, Catlin, has moved to cancel its policy covering the two Libyan African Aviation Holding Co. (LAAHCO) entities on the grounds that Libya is now a "war zone."
As a result, Afriqiyah's European operations have now been suspended.
However, LAAHCO general mamager, Ali Elayan, told Bloomberg news that despite this and the closure of Tripoli International and Benghazi airports, the airlines were still maintaining limited operations out of the eastern cities of Misurata, Tobruk, and Brak. It is understood, however, that Libyan has since pulled out of the eastern port city of Tobruk after all its serviceable CRJ900s were ferried to Germany for maintenance.
The Libyan Civil Aviation Authority (LyCAA) has also moved to open the north-western port city of Zwara to both domestic and international services though this is contingent on existing infrastructure there being serviceable.
The LyCAA has issued a NOTAM warning that western Libyan airspace will be closed to traffic from July 28 until the end of the upcoming Eid holidays.
