Libya-Italy flights resume after decade-long halt

TRIPOLI, July 25 (Xinhua) 

Direct flights between Libya and Italy will resume after a hiatus of almost 10 years, announced the Libyan government on Monday.

"Today, Monday, Italian Airlines ITA launched a test flight from Rome to Tripoli, carrying Prime Minister Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah, after a suspension of about 10 years as a result of the European Union air ban on Libya," said the government in a statement.

In a press conference following the arrival of the flight, Dbeibah said that the test flight is a practical announcement to lift the ban on Libyan civil aviation using European airspace, confirming that commercial flights between Libya and Italy will officially resume in September.

"The decision to resume flights between Tripoli and Rome comes after intensive meetings of the committee formed by the Prime Minister to lift the air ban on international airports with the aim of facilitating movement and travel for Libyan citizens," the statement said.

In December 2014, the European Commission banned all Libyan airlines from operating in European airspace citing security reasons.