JEDDAH, 29 June 2006 — The aviation sector in West Africa, which remained neglected over the years, is optimistic about its future. Globalization that is taking Africa by storm and the easing of the diplomatic tensions between the United States and Libya are cited among the reasons.
While it will take some time for Libya to rebuild its aviation infrastructure after years of neglect, the West African country’s leaders are hopeful that their country will soon be a valuable hub for other airlines flying into Africa.
One of the West African carriers is the newly established Afriqiyah Airways, a private Libyan airline, which is making efforts to cash in on the emerging situation and expand its operations.
“Yes, we’re full of optimism and that’s why we’re here operating our services to Jeddah and through this city to serve West Africans between Tripoli and Asian destinations,” Afriqiyah Airways Jeddah-based General Director for Saudi Arabia Mohamed Elmeshkhy told Arab News yesterday.
“Our main target is West Africa where we serve 17 destinations from Jeddah through our main hub Tripoli,” Elmeshkhy said. “We’re the only airline with direct flights to West Africa from here,” he said, adding that the newly established airline operates two flights a week from Jeddah. The airline also operates services from Tripoli to European destinations including London, Paris, Brussels, Rome and Geneva.
The airline has an interline agreement with Saudi Arabian Airlines for serving Asian destinations for West Africans via Jeddah. “We’ve such interline arrangements with 34 international carriers,” Elmeshkhy said.
Al-Rawia Travel and Tourism, an IATA agency that is part of Al-Rawia Aviation Support Services, is Afriqiyah’s general sales agent, with Adham M. Alamoudi as general manager and Ashraf Alaydeross as sales and business development manager.
The carrier, which is due to become a member of the Kingdom’s Bank Settlement Plan next month, is also targeting Haj and Umrah traffic and has plans to expand its present fleet of six Airbus A320, said Elmeshkhy, a 30-year aviation industry veteran and one of the founders of the new airline. “We’re also coming up with ‘affordable’ Umrah and holiday packages,” he added.