THY resumes flights to Benghazi after decade-long hiatus
ANKARA
Turkish Airlines (THY) has resumed flights to Benghazi, Libya, after a 10-year suspension, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced on Jan. 14.
Highlighting historical ties between Libya and Türkiye, the minister said that THY will now operate three weekly flights to Benghazi.
THY initially launched Benghazi flights on May 5, 2009, but suspended operations on Jan. 5, 2015, due to security concerns.
Uraloğlu emphasized Türkiye's strategic position in global aviation, noting that 1.5 billion people live within a four-hour flight radius of the country. "Türkiye is at the center of 67 countries with a combined gross national product of $51.2 trillion," he said.
The minister highlighted recent expansions in THY's network, including new routes to Santiago, Chile and Sydney, Australia. These additions have increased THY's international destinations to 349 by the end of 2024.
Uraloğlu also shared impressive passenger numbers, with over 236 million travelers passing through Turkish airports in 2024.
"We expect to surpass 250 million passengers in 2025," he added.
With 32 new airports built in the past 22 years, Türkiye continues to invest heavily in its aviation infrastructure, Uraloğlu stated.