Buraq Air
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| Founded | 2001 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focus cities | Benghazi (Benina International Airport) | ||||||
| Fleet size | 5 | ||||||
| Destinations | 7 | ||||||
| Headquarters |
Mittiga International Airport Tripoli, Libya | ||||||
| Key people | Mohamed Bubeida (Chairman) | ||||||
| Website | www.buraq.aero | ||||||
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 Islamic prophet, Muhammad is believed to have flown from Mecca 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 2014
| City | Country | IATA | ICAO | Airport | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Istanbul | Turkey | IST | LTBA | Atatürk International Airport | |
| Sfax | Tunisia | SFA | DTTX | Sfax–Thyna International Airport | |
| Tunis | Tunisia | TUN | DTTA | Tunis–Carthage International Airport | |
| Monastir | Tunisia | MIR | DTMB | Monastir Habib Bourguiba International Airport | |
| Tobruk | Libya | TOB | HLGN | Tobruk Airport |
Terminated destinations
These following destinations were suspended due to the Libyan civil war:
- Africa
- Egypt
- Morocco
- Asia
- Syria
- Europe
- Bosnia & Herzegovina
Fleet
The Buraq Air fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of August 2016):[5]
| Aircraft | In Fleet | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-500 | 1 | — | 122 | |
| Boeing 737-400 | 2 | — | 169 | |
| Boeing 737-800 | 2 | — | 189 | One Stored at MJI |
| Total | 5 | — |
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 17 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.[6]
References
- ↑ "Company Profile." Buraq Air. Retrieved on 14 May 2010. "The company headquarters are located at Mittiga International Airport in Tripoli - Libya."
- 1 2 "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-03-27. p. 90.
- ↑ http://www.quryna.com/detail.php?a_idx=3302 (in Arabic)
- ↑ 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".
- ↑ "Global Airline Guide 2016 (Part One)". Airliner World (October 2016): 20.
- ↑ http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20130417-0
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Buraq Air. |
