Italy’s ENAC Pushes For Expanded Libya Air Links

Italy and Libya are deepening their aviation ties with new agreements and the planned resumption of direct flights between Rome and Benghazi.

The move follows a meeting between Pierluigi Di Palma, president of Italy’s National Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC), and Belkasem Haftar, president of the Libyan Reconstruction Fund. The discussions resulted in the announcement of an ITA Airways flight from Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) to Benghazi Benina International Airport (BEN), set to launch in June 2025.

The proposed route builds on a memorandum of cooperation ENAC and the Libyan Civil Aviation Authority signed in late 2023, allowing up to 14 passenger flights and seven cargo flights per week between the two countries.

“[The Rome-Benghazi route] confirms the key role of air transport as a tool to connect people and promote mutual opportunities for economic and commercial growth, but above all to strengthen a bond of friendship between the two countries,” Di Palma says.

Despite the planned expansion, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) continues to advise against flights over Libyan airspace due to ongoing security concerns. The agency’s Conflict Zone Information Bulletin, issued in October 2024, remains in effect until the end of April.

However, exceptions apply for flights to coastal airports under specific conditions: approaches must be made from the sea; operations must be fully coordinated with local authorities and air traffic control; and airlines must conduct a comprehensive risk assessment before operating.

These conditions allowed ITA to resume Rome-Tripoli flights on Jan. 12, as Tripoli Mitiga International Airport’s coastal location enables aircraft to approach from over the Mediterranean Sea while complying with EASA’s safety requirements. BEN is also a coastal airport, potentially making it eligible under similar guidelines.

According to OAG Schedules Analyser data, three routes currently connect Benghazi to Europe. Belavia operates a weekly flight from Minsk, Belarus, while Libyan carrier Berniq Airways and Turkish Airlines serve Istanbul Airport with six and three flights per week, respectively. Turkish Airlines resumed services to Benghazi in January, marking its return after a decade-long absence.

In addition to the planned Rome-Benghazi flights, discussions between ENAC and the Libyan Reconstruction Fund are also understood to have included a proposal for a Milan-Benghazi route, which could launch during the summer 2025 season.