First Malta-Libya flight with MelAir takes off

The first Malta-Libya flight with airline MelAir took off on Monday morning, following a bilateral agreement signed when Libyan PM Abdul Hamid Dbeibah visited Malta on 9 September.

Economy minister Silvio Schembri was on board the flight, and held a press conference upon arrival in Libya. He said that Malta and Libya are committed to collaborate with each other to each other's benefit. 

"There is enormous potential in Libya. This country deserves to be led by the Libyan people, and Prime Minister Robert Abela and the Maltese government have always been an important platform for Malta to voice the thoughts and desires of Libya in international and European fora," Schembri stated.

Photo: DOI

Libya's Transport Minister Mohammed Salem Al Shahoubi remarked during the conference that the country intends on resuming a weekly flight between Malta and Libya through the agreement signed during an official visit.

"We hope for a successful future for this vital airline, which will contribute to the economic growth and service of the Libyan people," he said.

Mel Air is an airline with a Maltese AOC and began operating in 2021. It is a subsidiary of the Spanish carrier Air Nostrum. The airline currently has a fleet of three CRJ-1000 jets aircraft.

During the visit, Schembri met with the Libyan Economy Minister Mohammed Haweg to discuss potential sectors where the two countries can collaborate. 

Maltese ambassador to Libya Charles Saliba accompanied the minister throughout the trip.