Buraq Air

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Buraq Air
البراق
IATA
UZ
ICAO
BRQ
Callsign
BURAQAIR
Founded 2001
Focus cities Benghazi (Benina International Airport)
Fleet size 9
Destinations 7
Headquarters Mittiga International Airport
Tripoli, Libya
Key people Mohamed Bubeida (Chairman)

Buraq Air (El-Buraq Air Transport Inc) is an airline with its headquarters on the grounds of Mitiga International Airport in Tripoli, Libya.[1] It operates scheduled domestic and international services to Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Buraq also operates passenger and cargo charter services and flights in support of CHC.[2] Until recently, the airline's hub was Mitiga Airport, which, although smaller than Tripoli International Airport, is much closer to the city centre of Tripoli. Its new hub is Tripoli International.

Its name comes from the buraq, a creature on which the prophet Muhammad is believed to have flown from Makkah to Jerusalem, and from there to the various heavens.

History

The airline was established on 22 October 2000,[3] and started operations on 15 November 2001; it is the first privately owned airline in Libya.[2] It is also known as Buraq Air Transport

As a consequence of the Libyan civil war and the resulting no-fly zone over the country enforced by NATO in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, all flight operations with Buraq Air were terminated on 17 March 2011.[4]

Destinations

Following the Libyan civil war, Buraq Air offers scheduled flights to the following destinations as of November 2012

City Country IATA ICAO Airport Refs
Bayda LibyaLAQHLLQLa Abraq International Airport
Benghazi LibyaBENHLLBBenina International Airport
Rabat MoroccoRBAGMMERabat-Sale Airport
Istanbul TurkeyISTLTBAAtatürk International Airport
Sabha LibyaSEBHLLsSebha Airport
Tobruk LibyaTOBHLGNTobruk Airport
Tripoli LibyaTIPHLLTTripoli International Airport
Tunis TunisiaTUNDTTATunis–Carthage International Airport

Terminated destinations

These following destinations were suspended due to the Libyan civil war:

Africa
Asia
Europe

Fleet

Boeing 737-800 of Buraq Air in 2007.

The Buraq Air fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of November 2012):

Type Number Seats Notes
Boeing 737-400 1
Boeing 737-500 1
Boeing 737-800 2
British Aerospace Jetstream 32 1
Let L-410 UVP-E 3
Ilyushin Il-76MD 1
Ilyushin Il-76TD 1

A preliminary agreement has been reached with Boeing on the purchase of up to 6 Boeing 737-800 aircraft (3 orders and 3 options). Confirmation was made for the acquisition of two of the aircraft of which one was delivered in October, and the second in November 2006. The order for the third aircraft was finalized in September 2006. It had added 2 de Havilland Canada DHC-8 in service today. It also had 4 Boeing 737-400 aircraft in service today.[citation needed]

One of the aircraft B737-800 has been damaged 5A-DMH and it is grounded[citation needed] this moment

Libyan civil war

Buraq air was grounded during the Libyan civil war. As of 25 August 2011, at least two 737-800s were still visible on the tarmac of Tripoli International Airport. No Buraq Air planes have been reported damaged or destroyed.

Accidents and incidents

  • On 17th April 2013, a Buraq B737-800 was hit by gun fire while approaching Tripoli International Airport on a domestic flight from Benghazi. There were no injuries and only limited damage; the aircraft made a normal landing. [5]

References

  1. "Company Profile." Buraq Air. Retrieved on 14 May 2010. "The company headquarters are located at Mittiga International Airport in Tripoli - Libya."
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-03-27. p. 90. 
  3. http://www.quryna.com/detail.php?a_idx=3302 (in Arabic)
  4. United Nations. "Security Council Approves ‘No-Fly Zone’ over Libya, Authorizing ‘All Necessary Measures’ to Protect Civilians, by Vote of 10 in Favour with 5 Abstentions". 
  5. http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20130417-0

External links

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