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EU Aviation Safety Agency extends flight ban over Libya until January 2027
via Libya Herald3 min read
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency EASA extended its flight ban over Libya until January 2027, citing ongoing security risks, political instability, and fragmented military control. The ban, updated under CZIB-2017-02, advises air operators to exercise extreme caution or avoid Libyan airspace. Specifically, flights below FL320 are discouraged, except for coastal airport approaches with coordination and risk assessment. Operations above FL320 require extreme caution due to high-altitude air defense system risks. Despite this, international carriers, including Qatar Airways, Emirates, EgyptAir, Turkish Airlines, and Max Air, have been flying over Libyan airspace since January 2025, with some, like Air France, receiving specific corridor permissions. The US Federal Aviation Authority FAA lifted its flight ban over Libyan airspace in March 2019 for flights above 300 meters. A recent emergency landing of an Egypt Air flight at Kufra Airport in January 2025, due to a flight attendant's illness, was successfully handled by Libyan ground services, which are available 24/7. This incident was seen as positive for Libya's efforts to lift the EU ban and regain revenue from overflight fees. Furthermore, the Libyan-owned carrier MedSky currently operates flights to EU cities, raising questions about the rationale behind the continued EU flight ban.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Libya Herald.
Saleh Al-Abbar, Director of the North Benghazi Power Plant, stated in a television interview that Libyan citizens consume more electricity than those in neighboring countries, attributing this to the low cost of electricity in Libya. He noted that the electricity system requires constant maintenance and upgrading. Al-Abbar explained that the power deficit is caused by excessive consumption and breakdowns during peak summer periods, amidst a summer of increasing power cuts and blackouts. The General Electricity Company of Libya has raised tariffs for commercial consumers and introduced prepaid meters to encourage rational use. However, state subsidies result in an average household electricity bill of approximately LD 100 拢10 per month, which does not incentivize reduced consumption or the adoption of solar energy.
The Man-Made River Authority MMR reported a power outage in the Sarir-Tazerbo-Benghazi system, the fourth in a week. The power cut, which occurred on Friday, July 24, at 5:00 am, was due to the disconnection of electrical circuits between Ajdabiya and Jalu. This incident caused all wells at the Sarir and Tazerbo fields to go out of service, leading to difficulties in managing water balance and supplying water to cities and projects. Power was restored to the Sarir well field at 9:00 am, with work crews immediately beginning to restart operations. Electricity returned to the Tazerbo well field at 11:00 am, where operations await voltage stabilization before restarting. The MMR stated that this situation is beyond its control.
Libya's General Electricity Company GECOL announced that the Tripoli South power plant, one of the country's largest electricity generation projects, is nearing completion. The plant, comprising four generation units, will have a production capacity of 1,320 megawatts. GECOL stated that the plant will be connected to the national grid "soon," aiming to boost power generation, enhance grid efficiency, and improve service stability, especially during peak demand. This announcement comes amid increasing power cuts and blackouts in western and eastern Libya. Experts note that the grid currently lacks about 1,100 MW of generation, making the Tripoli South plant's activation a significant relief. Additionally, GECOL previously announced on July 15 that maintenance and operational trials were completed for new units at three other power plants, which will add over 600 megawatts to the network. These include a 250 MW unit at the Zueitina plant, a 220 MW unit at the Zawia plant, and a 160 MW unit at the Ubari plant.