Libya's Ministry of Transport said on Monday that airspace restrictions imposed by the UN's International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in 2015,
Libya’s Ministry of Transport said on Monday that airspace restrictions imposed by the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in 2015, during the country’s civil war, have been removed.
The ministry said the decision was formally issued on October 23 and announced by ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar at a meeting of Middle Eastern aviation officials in Doha.
In a statement on its verified Facebook page, the Tripoli-based ministry credited the move to notable progress and growing confidence in Libya’s civil aviation sector.
The ministry said airlines are already responding. It reported what it called unprecedented demand from international carriers for permits to transit Libyan airspace, and expects the traffic to bring in substantial revenue.
It said permits registered for the 2026-2027 winter season have risen to 61,968 flights per month from this November. Analysts note the decision could let Libya capitalise on its location, particularly for airlines flying between Europe and markets across Africa and the Middle East.
The decision does not guarantee a quick revival of air travel to and from Libya.
Lifting the restrictions does not automatically mean international airlines will resume services to Libyan airports.
Only a few airlines currently operate there, and their routes have long been limited to destinations such as Tunisia, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Sudan.
Libya fell into chaos after the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi, and a civil war three years later split the country between eastern and western administrations.
The transit figures come from the Libyan government and have not been independently verified.
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