Emirates Resumes Tripoli Flights After Two Years

Tripoli’s commercial rehabilitation has been further boosted with Emirates resuming three-times weekly flights to the Libyan capital today.

EK745 departs Dubai every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday at 0930, and stops off in Malta (1325) before continuing on to Tripoli (1555). The return flight leaves Tripoli at 1725 and lands in Dubai at 0100 the next day.

Adil Al Ghaith, Emirates’ vice president for Commercial Operations Northern and Western Africa, said it had seen “solid early bookings” on the route, which is served by three-class Boeing 777-200ER aircraft.

The reintroduction of passenger services follows Emirates SkyCargo introducing a freighter service in May last year.

While Libya has stabilised in the post-Gaddafi era, logistical challenges remain. Yesterday Royal Jordanian stated one of its aircraft couldn’t take off from Tripoli because the runway was closed “unexpectedly for reasons that have not been officially given by the Libyan authorities”.

The plane returned to Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, with all 120 passengers on board, after the airport reopened at noon.