Libyan Airlines
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| Founded | 1964 | |||
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| Commenced operations | 1965 | |||
| Hubs | Tripoli International Airport | |||
| Focus cities | Benina International Airport | |||
| Fleet size | 15 | |||
| Destinations | 29 | |||
| Parent company | Libyan Afriqiyah Aviation Holding Company (since 2007) |
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| Headquarters | Tripoli, Libya | |||
| Key people | Mohamed M. Ibsem (Chairman)[citation needed] | |||
| Website | libyanairlines.aero (currently defunct) |
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Libyan Airlines (Arabic: الخطوط الجوية الليبية; transliterated: al-Khutut al-Jawiyah al-Libiyah), known as Libyan Arab Airlines over several decades, is the oldest and the national flag carrier airline of Libya. Based in Tripoli, it operates scheduled passenger and cargo services within Libya and to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, the majority of which leave from Tripoli International Airport. Benina International Airport in Benghazi serves as a secondary base.[1] The company is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization and the International Air Transport Association.
Several of the airline's fleet and routes have been grounded since March 2011 due to the civil war of the same year. The proposed privatisation and merger with Afriqiyah Airways has also been postponed, despite the fact it was originally planned to be effective in November 2010. The two carriers were later expected to merge in late 2011, however the Arab Spring and poor organisation forced this deal to be postponed many more times. Both airlines are to merge by the first half of 2013, according to Libya's current Interim Transport Minister Yousef el-Uheshi - 12 to 13 months after negotiations are expected to resume in March 2012. The successful merging of the carriers depends on the government's ability to cut costs in both workforce and salaries, which rival European carriers in size.[2]
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[edit] History
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The airline was established in 1964 as Kingdom of Libya Airlines, and the first revenue flights took place in October 1965. From the beginning, it concentrated on providing services from Tripoli and Benghazi to Europe and the neighboring countries of Libya, as well as operating a multitude of domestic routes. By 1968, the international network included destinations like Athens, Beirut, Cairo, Geneva, London, Paris, Rome or Tunis, which were served using either Caravelle or Fokker F27 aircraft. There were interline agreements with Alitalia, Middle East Airlines and BOAC.[3]
Following the rule in Libya having been taken over by Muammar Gaddafi in 1969, the airline was renamed Libyan Arab Airlines (commonly abbreviated LAA). During the 1970s, Boeing 727s for short-haul routes and Boeing 707s for long-haul flights became the backbone of the fleet, allowing for a growing route network. Until 1986, flights to European destinations like Amsterdam, Belgrade, Bucharest, Budapest, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Madrid, Milan, Moscow, Prague, Sofia, Vienna, Warsaw and Zurich had been commenced, as well as to Algiers, Khartoum, Kuwait and Karachi.[4][5][6][7]
The airline suffered a setback due to the United Nations Security Council Resolution 748, which was adopted on 31 March 1992 as a consequence of the Libyan government allegedly having supported the terrorists responsible for the bombings of Pan Am Flight 103 (on 21 December 1988) and UTA Flight 772 (on 19 September 1989). The resolution saw a trade embargo being imposed on Libya, which included the delivery of aircraft supply, and Libyan Airlines was denied any landing or overflight rights of third-party countries. Thus, all international flights came to an end, and LAA could only operate on domestic routes. As the company was unable to receive spare parts for its then fleet of Boeing, Douglas, Airbus and Lockheed airliners, Soviet built aircraft of the types Ilyushin Il-76 and Tupolev Tu-154 were acquired.
When the trade sanctions were lifted in early 1999, Libyan Arab Airlines could rebuilt its international network, and order new aircraft from manufacturers like Airbus, Bombardier or ATR. Amman became the first non-domestic destination to be served again. Fleet and route network grew further when regional carrier Air Jamahiriya was merged into Libyan Arab Airlines in 2001.[1] In 2006, the airline was renamed Libyan Airlines. In 2007, 885,000 passengers were carried, 40 percent of which were travelling on domestic flights.[citation needed] The airline pursues an expansion policy,[8] which is concentrated on European business and tourist customers. Newly introduced destinations like Milan, Ankara,[9] Athens[10] and Madrid have led to a route network similar to the one offered prior to the 1992 trade embargo.
On 31 July 2007, Libyan Airlines became a subsidiary of the state owned Libyan Afriqiyah Aviation Holding Company (LAAHC), together with Afriqiyah Airways. LAAHC is owned by four pre-revolution government bodies: The Libyan National Social Fund (30%), the Libyan National Investment Company (30%), the Libya-Africa Investment Fund (25%), and the Libyan Foreign Investment Company (15%).[11] On 21 September 2010, it was announced that the two airlines, which had already begun extensive code-sharing and set up joint ground handling, maintenance and catering services, were to merge by November of that year, which was later postponed indefinitely, though.[12] [13]
As a consequence of the Libyan civil war and the resulting no-fly zone over the country enforced by NATO in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, all flight operations with Libyan Airlines were terminated on 17 March 2011.[14]
[edit] Destinations
[edit] Fleet
As of November 2011, the commercial fleet of Libyan Airlines consists of the following aircraft with an average age of 4.4 years, all of which are currently grounded:[15]
| Aircraft | In Fleet | Orders | Passengers | |||
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| F | J | Y | Total | |||
| Airbus A330-200 | — | 4 |
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| Airbus A350-800 | — | 4 |
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| ATR 42-500 | 2 | — |
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| Bombardier CRJ900 | 8 | — |
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| Total | 15 | 13 | ||||
Additionally, one VIP-configured Boeing 727-200 was operated for the Libyan government.[16]
[edit] Recent aircraft orders
| Wikinews has related news: Air Independence and Libyan Airlines place orders for Bombardier aircraft valued at $190 million |
In order to modernize and expand its fleet, Libyan Airlines placed several orders with aircraft manufacturers:
- In December 2007, a previous memorandum of understanding with Airbus was converted into a firm order for fifteen new aircraft (four of the newly developed Airbus A350 long-haul aircraft, four Airbus A330-200s, and seven short-haul A320s), the first of which was delivered in September 2010.[17]
- The airline's ageing short-haul fleet of Fokker F28 Fellowship aircraft was replaced with Bombardier CRJ900s, which were delivered beginning in 2009. In October 2010, the order was increased by another six aircraft of that type.[18]
[edit] Fleet development
Over the years, the company operated the following aircraft types:[19][20]
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This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
| Aircraft | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
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| Airbus A300 |
2001 |
2011 |
Last A300 retired because the last 2 planes were burned at the civil war in 2011. |
| Airbus A310 |
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| Airbus A320 |
2006 |
2011 |
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| ATR 42 |
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| BAC One-Eleven | |||
| Boeing 707 | |||
| Boeing 720 | |||
| Boeing 727 | |||
| Boeing 737-200 |
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| Boeing 747-200 |
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| Bombardier CRJ900 |
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| Douglas DC-8 | |||
| Fokker F27 Friendship | |||
| Fokker F28 Fellowship | |||
| Fokker 100 |
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| Handley Page Dart Herald | |||
| Ilyushin Il-76 | |||
| Lockheed L-100 Hercules | |||
| Lockheed L-1011 TriStar | |||
| Sud Aviation Caravelle | |||
| Tupolev Tu-154 |
[edit] Incidents and accidents
[edit] Fatal accidents
- On 21 February 21 1973 at around 14:10 local time, Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114 from Tripoli to Cairo, which was operated by a Boeing 727-200 (registered 5A-DAH), was shot down by Israeli fighter aircraft because it was thought to be a foreign military attack aircraft. Among the 113 people on board, only one crew member and four passengers survived the subsequent crash-landing in the desert near Ismaïlia.[21]
- On 2 December 1977, a Tupolev 154 (registered LZ-BTN), which was chartered by Libyan Arab Airlines from Balkan Bulgarian Airlines to operate a Hajj flight from Jeddah to Benghazi crashed near Benina International Airport because of fuel exhaustion. The aircraft had been circling the airport because it could not land due to dense fog, and an alternate landing strip could not be reached in time. 59 of the 159 passengers died in the accident, whilst all six crew members survived.[22]
- On 22 December 1992, Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 1103, a Boeing 727-200 registered 5A-DIA, collided with a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 of the Libyan Air Force over Tripoli. Both aircraft crashed, killing all 157 persons on board the Boeing and the 2 crew of the air force jet,[23] making it the worst accident in the history of the airline.
[edit] Non-fatal incidents
- On 28 November 1981, a Libyan Arab Airlines Fokker F27 Friendship (registered 5A-DBE) was damaged beyond repair in a forced landing in the desert near Kufra, which had become necessary because the aircraft had run out of fuel.[24]
- On 6 June 1989, an LAA Fokker F27 (registered 5A-DDV) experienced an engine failure shortly after take-off from Zella Airfield for a flight to Tripolis. The crew tried to return to the airfield, but had to execute a forced landing in the desert instead, during which the aircraft was destroyed. The 36 passengers and three crew members survived the crash.[25]
- On 7 December 1991, a Libyan Arab Airlines Boeing 707 (registered 5A-DJT) crashed upon take-off at Tripoli International Airport. There were no fatalities among the 189 passengers and ten crew on board.[26]
[edit] Military occurrences
Several aircraft of the company were destroyed on the ground in different war events:
- On 5 June 1967, during the Six-Day War, a Kingdom of Libya Airlines Learjet 23 (registered 5A-DAD), which was parked at Damascus International Airport, was destroyed in an Israeli air raid.[27]
- On 15 April 1986, a Libyan Arab Airlines Fokker F27 Friendship (registered 5A-DLP) was destroyed at Benina International Airport during the United States bombing of the airfield as part of Operation El Dorado Canyon.[28]
- On August 25, 2011, during the 2011 Libyan civil war, a Libyan Airlines Airbus A300-600 (registered 5A-DLZ) was destroyed during fighting actions at Tripoli International Airport.[29][30]
[edit] Hijackings
- On 6 July 1976, an LAA Boeing 727 was hijacked during a flight from Tripoli to Benghazi and forced to land at Palma de Mallorca Airport, where the perpetrator surrendered.[31]
- On 24 August 1979, another Boeing 727 was forced to divert from its Benghazi-Tripoli route and land at Larnaca.[32]
- On 16 October of the same year, a domestic flight from Hun to Tripoli was hijacked by three passengers, who forced the Fokker F27 Friendship (registered 5A-DDU) to divert to Malta. After two days on the ground at Luqa Airport, the perpetrators surrendered.[33]
- On 7 December 1981, an LAA flight from Zurich to Tripoli was hijacked by three persons who thus wanted to press prisoners free. The Boeing 727 was flown to Beirut, were the perpetrators surrendered.[34]
- On 20 February 1983, Flight 484 was hijacked en route a flight from Sabha, Libya to Benghazi. The two hijackers forced the 727 (registered 5A-DII) to land in Malta, were the surrendered three days later.[35]
- Also in 1983, on 22 June, an LAA Boeing 707 was hijacked during a flight from Athens to Tripoli, by two persons who demanded to be taken to Iran. During the negotiations, the aircraft was flown to Rome and Larnaca, where the hijackers surrendered.[36]
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International: p. 105. 2007-04-03.
- ^ 13 January 2012, CAPA Centre for Aviation, Rebuilding Libya's aviation industry crucial to economic recovery, Accessed January 13, 2012.
- ^ Kingdom of Libya Airlines April 1968 timetable (international flights)
- ^ Libyan Arab Airlines 1971 timetable at timetableimages.com
- ^ LAA 1974 international timetable at timetableimages.com
- ^ LAA domestic 1974 timetable at timetableimages.com
- ^ Libyan Arab Airlines 1986 route map
- ^ (June 7, 2009), Libyan Airlines launches new routes, AMEInfo, Accessed June 11, 2009
- ^ Libyan Airlines starts first flight to Turkey's Ankara
- ^ (July 3, 2009), Libyan Airlines returns to Greece after a 17-year absence
- ^ (May 20, 2008), Endres, Gunter, Libya to restructure air transport sector, FlightGlobal, Accessed May 20, 2008
- ^ (Sep 19, 2010) Shuaib, Ali,Libya's Airlines Expect to Merge Soon, Reuters Africa, Accessed Sep 19, 2010.
- ^ Dec 28, 2009, "Libyan Airlines and Afriqiyah to Merge: Libyan CEO", capitaleritrea, Accessed Dec 29, 2009.
- ^ United Nations. "Security Council Approves ‘No-Fly Zone’ over Libya, Authorizing ‘All Necessary Measures’ to Protect Civilians, by Vote of 10 in Favour with 5 Abstentions". http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2011/sc10200.doc.htm.
- ^ Libyan Arab Airlines commercial fleet list at planespotters.net
- ^ Libyan Airlines fleet list at ch-aviation.ch
- ^ (Sep 17, 2010)Libyan Takes Delivery of the First of its New A320 Fleet, Arabian Aerospace, Accessed Sep 19, 2010.
- ^ "Libyan Airlines orders three CRJ900 NextGen aircraft plus three options", at atwonline.com
- ^ Libyan Airlines fleet list at airfleets.net
- ^ Information about Libyan (Arab) Airlines provided by the Aero Trabsport Data Bank
- ^ Flight 114 at the Aviation Safety Network
- ^ 1977 Libyan Arab Airlines crash at the Aviation Safety Network
- ^ Flight 1103 at the Aviation Safety Network
- ^ 1981 crash landing at the Aviation Safety Network
- ^ 1989 crash landing at the Aviation Safety Network
- ^ 1991 incident at the Aviation Safety Network
- ^ 1967 Damascus Airport raid at the Aviation Safety Network
- ^ El Dorado Canyon bombing at the Aviation Safety Network
- ^ http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/08/26/361307/pictures-two-a300s-destroyed-in-tripoli-conflict.html
- ^ "5A-DLZ Criminal occurrence description". Aviation Safety Network. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20110825-1. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
- ^ hijacking at the Aviation Safety Network
- ^ August 1979 hijacking at the Aviation Safety Network
- ^ October 1979 hijacking at the Aviation Safety Network
- ^ 1981 hijacking at the Aviation Safety Network
- ^ February 1983 hijacking at the Aviation Safety Network
- ^ June 1983 hijacking at the Aviation Safety Network
[edit] External links
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Libyan Airlines |
