Air France renews interest in Tripoli services as Libya's political past still casts a shadow

Air France-KLM Group is reportedly studying the possibility of resuming services between Paris and Tripoli, almost 22 years after the Lockerbie bombing (Pan Am 103) and 21 years after the subsequent downing of a French UTA Airlines flight in Niger, which was blamed on the Libyan Secret Service. No indication on the timing of the launch of Air France services has been disclosed. It has been reported that the carrier would operate three or four times weekly on the route with A320 equipment. Air France has been slow among European airlines in resuming flights to Tripoli, after an embargo against Libya under its leader Moamer Kadhafi was lifted in 2003. Partner KLM does operate six flights weekly from Amsterdam though. The French pilots union, SNPL, which has blocked previous plans to resume the route, said it was not opposed in principle but the move would depend on working conditions and safety.