A MedSky passenger aircraft is pictured on the ground as the Libyan airline resumes direct services linking Libya with France. Photo: MedSky

NNA News - Libya has restored direct air services to France after more than 15 years, with Libyan carrier MedSky launching flights linking Tripoli and Benghazi with Paris in a move that expands the country's growing network of European connections.

The inaugural service departed Mitiga International Airport in Tripoli on Thursday, flew to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport and then continued to Benina International Airport in Benghazi, according to MedSky and the Libyan News Agency. The airline had announced that services from Tripoli would operate on Thursdays, while flights from Benghazi would operate on Saturdays. The return of the route follows more than a decade without direct air services between Libya and France. It also comes as MedSky expands its European network, with Paris becoming its seventh European destination after Athens, Düsseldorf, Madrid, Malta, Milan and Rome.

MedSky Chief Executive Siraj Al-Fitouri previously described the Paris route as part of the airline's effort to rebuild Libya's links with major European cities. “Direct flights between Libya and France are resuming; a milestone that reflects MedSky's vision of reconnecting Libya with key European capitals,” Al-Fitouri said, according to the Libya Herald.

The airline's Director of Public Relations and Customer Service, Mohammed Al-Abdali, said the Benghazi service would provide passengers with a direct connection to the French capital without transit stops. He said the route could serve business travellers, patients, students and diplomats, while also supporting trade and investment between the two countries. The French Embassy in Libya welcomed the launch earlier this month, saying the new connection would facilitate passenger movement and contribute to economic, cultural and humanitarian relations between Libya and France.

The reopening also has significance for Benghazi, where the direct connection to Paris had been absent for more than 15 years. At the launch ceremony in Paris, Libya's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in the eastern-based government, Abdul Hadi Al-Hwej, described the service as part of efforts to restore international air connectivity. “The return of direct flights between Paris and Benghazi represents a new step towards restoring international air connectivity and opening wider prospects for travel between Libya and France,” Al-Hwej said, according to LANA.

The development comes against a complicated aviation backdrop. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) continues to maintain a Conflict Zone Information Bulletin covering Libyan airspace, most recently extended until Jan. 31, 2027. The advisory cites the security situation and recommends that operators avoid Libyan airspace, with limited exceptions for coastal airports subject to conditions including coordination with local authorities and robust risk assessment.

France has also maintained a high-level travel warning for Libya. Its Foreign Ministry currently advises against travel to most of the country, including Tripoli, while Benghazi is listed as a location where travel is discouraged except for compelling reasons.

The MedSky launch therefore expands available commercial connectivity rather than fully normalising Libya's international aviation links. The airline's growing European network is developing alongside continuing security and regulatory considerations affecting flights to and from the country.