Libya’s Afriqiyah Airways has signed a two-year deal with Dublin-based Air Contractors Ltd (ACL) to allow ACL to operate three of Afriqiyah’s latest A320s on European routes using the carrier’s existing crews and ground staff. The move will enable the Libyan airline to fly again unrestricted into Europe by the beginning of May.
“The only way to operate again [in Europe] was to get our aircraft registered elsewhere,” Afriqiyah’s CEO Abubaker Elfortia told the Libya Herald.
The sole difference passengers will see, he says, is a change in the registration number on the back of the aircraft – from one beginning 5A (the code for Libya) to EI (for Ireland). The staff will be the same, the logo and colours the same, the service the same.