By Libya Herald reporter.
Tripoli, 20 March 2015:
The Tunisian Civil Aviation authority (CVA) has agreed to reopen its airspace for planes flying . . .[restrict]in and out of some Libyan airports after a shut-down of nearly six months, but travelers will be subject to tighter passport restrictions, Libyan Airlines has announced.
Starting with immediate effect, Afriqiyah Airlines will once again be allowed to fly between Libya and Sfax, and it is suggested that the Tunis airport will open up for Libyan flights by the end of March. According to the CVA, there are some technicalities to work out before this can happen, however.
The Tunisian CVA stopped flights in and out of Libya following the the assault on Tripoli International Airport by the Misrata Brigades last July, forcing travelers to and from Libya to either fly from Mitiga airbase through Istanbul, Alexandria or Amman, or drive over the border.
Travel through what has now become Mitiga International Airport has been unpredictable, however, as the airport has been attacked by the LNA aircraft several times over the past few months. Airstrikes on the airport yesterday morning tore up the runway, forcing flight delays and cancellations.
Travellers planning to travel through a Tunisian airport must be prepared to abide by stricter passport regulations, however.
According to an announcement made by Libyan Airlines on Thursday, Tunisian passport control will no longer accept the green passport issued in 2014, electronic passports that have been partly filled in by hand, green passports older than eight years or green passports that were renewed and extended for one year in 2014. Furthermore, children more than five years old must have their own passports and may not travel on their parents’ documents. [/restrict]
