Tripoli, Libya
Jat Airways has suspended services to the Libyan capital, Tripoli, as a bombing campaign against the country continues. During the weekend a no fly zone was implemented over the North African nation. Jat carried out its last service to Tripoli last Thursday. The airline planned to introduce another weekly flight to the city from next week, which would have brought the total number of weekly services to the Libyan capital to 2. Jat, along with Air Malta, was the only European airline not to suspend scheduled services to the country until the implementation of the no fly zone, despite widespread violence.According to the daily “Politika”, during the 1999 bombing of Yugoslavia, 4 of Jat’s aircraft were safe guarded at Tripoli Airport. The daily also reports that on Jat’s final service to Tripoli last Thursday there were few passengers on board. Jat operated 5 special evacuation flights several weeks ago for Serbian citizens.
Flights to Tripoli operated via Malta. Services to Malta have also been cancelled until May when they are expected to restart twice per week.
Recently, flights between Tunisia and Serbia resumed after several months. Tunisair has been forced to join its Vienna and Belgrade service due to poor loads. The airline currently operates flights to from Tunis to Belgrade via Vienna. Starting with the 2011 summer season, Tunisair will operate scheduled flights from Tunis and Enfidha to Belgrade, while Jat will operate service to Monastir.
MLA flights have been cancelled until 2 May.
ReplyDeleteOff-topic:
ReplyDeleteWizz Air increased SKP-LTN to 4 weekly for june-august
You would think that since Jat and Air Malta were the only two carriers servicing Tripoli that the flights would of been full of people still trying to get out.
ReplyDeleteOff topic
ReplyDeleteFew moments ago I've noticed an Iran Air's A310 flying above Ada ciganlija in an attempt to land at BEG. Emergency landing or anyone has an idea for the reason of this unusual visitor to BEG
@Q400
ReplyDeleteThe U.N. Security Council authorized a no fly zone over Libya. So, unless the organization(s) that impose the no fly zone grant you permission to fly on humanitarian grounds or similar you cannot fly over Libya. No one in their right mind wants to fly over Libya at present and if you do you're probably invalidating your insurance. So, you risk death of all people on board if things go wrong (confusion or otherwise) and no compensation for the lost aircraft.
Given NATO's itch for more humanitarian bombing, it could be military personnel eager to learn from Serbia's experience.
ReplyDelete@ Visit Kosovo,
ReplyDeleteThe 'no fly zone' was implemented just 5 days ago and is the reason why both Jat and Air Malta suspended flights this time. But I was thinking pre no fly zone. There must have been many people trying to get out of the danger area's as we can see with the half a million or so refugees in Tunisia, Egypt and Italy so you would think that the two airlines operating 2 flights a week each would be full of people wanting to leave?
@ Anonymous above, The Nato bombing of Serbia and Montenegro did work, it stopped the war in Kosovo. A 'no fly zone' did not do this but a continued bombing campaign against military targets and important insulation such as power stations and oil refineries brought Milosevic to his knees and the rest is history. Unfortunately with all military campaigns you have civilians who will suffer but a 'no fly zone' on its own will do absolutely nothing. Remember Bosnia and Iraq???
@Q400
ReplyDeleteIn that case, I concur with you. I thought you meant why not take 'advantage' of the current unrest, i.e. no-fly zone and air bombardment.