In a pivotal step toward reconnecting Libya with global air networks, Abdulhamid Dabaiba, Prime Minister of Libya’s Government of National Unity, met with German Ambassador Ralf Tarraf last Thursday to discuss the potential resumption of Lufthansa flights to the North African nation which could reinvigorate economic and diplomatic ties with Europe.
Lufthansa Group, Europe’s largest aviation alliance, operates a vast network through subsidiaries such as Swiss International Air Lines, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines, alongside a 41% stake in Italy’s ITA Airways. Notably, ITA resumed flights to Libya in January 2024, marking a cautious return of European carriers to the country after years of turmoil.
Ranked 18th among the world’s top airlines in Skytrax’s 2024 ratings, Lufthansa reported robust revenues of €35.4 billion in 2023—its third-highest financial result in history. The group has pledged €4.5 billion to modernize its fleet and enhance services globally this year.
Lufthansa’s history with Libya has been fraught with interruptions. After halting operations in 2011, the airline briefly resumed flights to Tripoli in 2012, only to suspend them again in February 2013 due to escalating violence. The final withdrawal came in 2014, following a devastating airport fire during Operation “Libya Dawn”, a conflict that plunged the capital into chaos.