London - British Airways will resume its flights to Libya's
capital Tripoli in May, 15 months after they were suspended due to violent
unrest in the North African country, the airline announced on Monday.
"British Airways plans to resume flights to Tripoli
from Tuesday May 1 2012," said a statement from the company, which is now
part of International Airlines Group alongside Spain's Iberia.
"The return of services between (London) Heathrow and
Tripoli follows a thorough security review in conjunction with the UK government and the Libyan authorities," the airline said.
The company will keep the frequency of services under review
and will operate a small Airbus A320 on the route, according to a spokesperson.
British Airways chief executive Keith Williams said:
"We are delighted to be returning to Libya.
"Our flights to Tripoli have provided a vital economic
link for many years, and it is good news for everyone that we can now restart
operations. The airline will fly to and from Tripoli three times a week."
BA operated daily flights to and from Tripoli before the
successful uprising against the regime of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Also last year, British Airways and Iberia merged to slash
their costs, as the global economic downturn and the rise of low-cost airlines
resulted in steep losses for traditional carriers.