Afriqiyah Airways

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Afriqiyah Airways
الخطوط الجوية الأفريقية
IATA
8U		 ICAO
AAW		 Callsign
AFRIQIYAH
Founded 2001
Hubs Tripoli International Airport
Fleet size 8 (+23 orders, 8 options)
Destinations 24
Headquarters Tripoli, Libya
Key people Captain Sabri Saad Shadi(Chairman)
Website: http://www.afriqiyah.aero/
Afriqiyah Airways Airbus A320 in Brussels.
Afriqiyah Airways Airbus A320 in Brussels.

Afriqiyah Airways (Arabic: الخطوط الجوية الأفريقية) is an airline based in Tripoli, Libya. It operates domestic services between Tripoli and Benghazi and international scheduled services to over 20 destinations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Its main base is Tripoli International Airport[1]. The name Afriqiyah comes from the Arabic language word for Africa. The 9.9.99 logo on the side of Afriqiyah's airplanes refers to the date of the Sirte Declaration which marked the formation of the African Union. The idea was for Afriqiyah to be the "Airline of Africa" with its hub in Tripoli.

Afriqiyah Airways is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization and the International Air Transport Association. It was one of only two airlines to have a One-Star Rating from Skytrax, the worst possible of Five-Stars.[2] The other is Air Koryo.

The airline expects to carry 655,000 passengers in 2008. With the continued launching of new routes, Afriqiyah aims to carry 1 million passengers by the end of 2009.[3] The airline generated US$120 million in revenue in 2006.[4]

Contents

[edit] History

The airline was established in April 2001 and commenced scheduled services on 1 December 2001. It is wholly owned by the Libyan government and has 287 employees (at March 2007)[1]. The airline started off with Boeing 737-400 aircraft, but in 2003 introduced all Airbus equipment.

Afriqiyah Airways has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of six Airbus A320s and three Airbus A319s plus an option on five, as well as for three Airbus A330-200s, plus three options.[5] This acquisition is part of the long-term expansion strategy of the young Libyan airline. The new A320s and A319s will be put into service on Afriqiyah’s growing international network, covering routes from its base at Tripoli to 17 destinations in North-, West- and Central Africa and the Middle East, as well as to European destinations such as Paris, Brussels, Geneva, London, Rome and Amsterdam. Afriqiyah’s A319s will carry 124 passengers, while the A320 will seat 150 in comfortable two class configurations. The A330s will serve the long haul operations on routes to Southern Africa, Asia and Europe and will have a three-class configuration with 253 seats.[citation needed]

Afriqiyah is perceived as a poor airline in terms of customer service, with frequent delays, and non-delivery or DESTRUCTION of baggage. In December 2005 Afriqiyah left several hundred passengers stranded in Lagos, Nigeria, resulting in chaos at the airport and concern for public safety reminiscent of a similar incident with World Airways in December 2004.[citation needed]

[edit] Destinations

See full article: Afriqiyah Airways destinations

[edit] New routes

Afriqiyah Airways will introduce new services this summer to Dubai, Delhi, Istanbul and Beirut.[3]

The airline will take delivery of two of its ordered A319s in August and September, and they will be deployed on the new Dubai route in a two-class configuration. Two of the three A330s will also be delivered this year and the third next year. They will be used to inaugurate new routes to Johannesburg and China.[3]

Other planned new destinations (subject to approval) include[6]:

[edit] Fleet

The Afriqiyah Airways fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of 3 June 2008):

Afriqiyah Airways Fleet
Aircraft Total Notes
Airbus A300-600 1 VIP division
Airbus A319 (3 orders)
(5 options)
Airbus A320-200 6
(11 orders)		 One aircraft operated by Adria Airways
Two aircraft operated by Nouvelair
Airbus A330-200 (3 orders)
(3 options)
Airbus A340-200 1 VIP division
Airbus A350-800 (6 orders)

As of 3 June 2008, the average age of the Afriqiyah Airways fleet is 11.7 years ([1]).

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "Directory: World Airlines", Flight International, 2007-03-27, p. 51. 
  2. ^ Skytrax Review on Afriqiyah Airways, "Afriqiyah Airways", Accessed Aug. 6, 2007
  3. ^ a b c (May 20, 2008), Endres, Gunter, Libya to restructure air transport sector, FlightGlobal, Accessed May 20, 2008
  4. ^ "Political, visa issues driving Libya's Airbus orders", Business Intelligence Middle East Accessed May 30, 2008
  5. ^ Afriqiyah Airways Orders (Airbus Press Release: July 18, 2006)
  6. ^ Afriqiyah Airways Ofiicial Website, "Where We Fly", Accessed Apr 16, 2007
  7. ^ (Sep 10, 2007), Libyan airline eyes Kenya, The Standard, Accessed Sep 14, 2007

[edit] External links


v • d • e
Airlines of Libya
v • d • e
Members of the Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO)
v • d • e
Members of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA)