Maltese company launches new flights to Libyan city Misrata

A Malta-based travel agency, 4seasons Travel, has announced that it would operate two weekly flights from Malta to Libya's third largest city Misrata every Sunday and Wednesday starting on Feb. 15, according to local report on Wednesday.

Similar to the daily flights to Libyan capital Tripoli's Mitiga airport, the Malta-Misrata route will be flying a Medavia 19-seater plane on charter flights. The prices would be as high as 500 euros (565 U.S. dollar) due to the high price on the high insurance costs charged.

The new Malta-Misrata route will be only the second route directly linking the North African country with the EU, as scheduled flights originating in Libya have been banned from flying to Europe or even entering European airspace.

Aircraft registered in the EU had been allowed to fly to Europe, however the EU flight ban does not apply to charter flights.

Libya, a major oil producer in North Africa, has been witnessing a frayed political process after its former leader Muammar Gaddafi was toppled during the 2011 political turmoil. The country is now juggling between two rival parliaments and governments.

According to Libya's transitional plan, the parliament elected last June, the House of Representatives (HOR), has already replaced the former interim GNC.

However, the armed Islamist alliance, Libya Dawn, which has achieved a series of military progress in western Libya since last July, backed the GNC in resuming power and forming its own government against the new one.

The internationally recognized HOR has been struggling to regain the lost territories by launching several air strikes on areas controlled by the militants. Endit