BA to resume Libya flights from May

British Airways is the latest carrier to decide to resume flights to Libya when Heathrow-Tripoli services begin again from May 1.

The airline made the announcement today and it follows Etihad’s launch of services to the Libyan capital from Abu Dhabi last week. Qatar Airways is also to resume its Doha to Tripoli flights - via the Egyptian city of Alexandria - from February 2.

BA will run three weekly flights on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. It had suspended the service in February 2011 when Libya’s civil war started and a no-fly-zone was imposed by the United Nations in the following month.

The airline said it had conducted a “thorough security review” with both UK and Libyan authorities which cleared the way for flights to resume.

Keith Williams, BA’s chief executive, said: “We are delighted to be returning to Libya. Our flights to Tripoli have provided a vital economic link for many years, and it is good news for everyone that we can now restart operations.”

Air Malta resumed flights to Tripoli in November after a six-month suspension while Qatar Airways started flying from Doha to Benghazi, Libya’s second largest city, on November 1. Qatar's resumption of Tripoli services will run three times a week on Monday, Thursday and Friday.