Sirte Gulf International Airport Resumes Operations After 12 Years

Libya’s aviation industry has received a major boost as Sirte Gulf International Airport has officially resumed operations after more than a decade of closure.

The announcement came from Mahmud Elforjani, director general of Libya’s National Development Agency, who confirmed that the airport’s international code, SRX, was reactivated on Oct. 25. The opening follows extensive restoration and modernization efforts led by the agency.

To mark the occasion, three commercial flights landed at the newly opened airport. Two aircraft were from Tripoli in the west, operated by Libya’s MedSky Airways and Buraq Air, and the third from Benghazi in the east, operated by Berniq Airways.

The airport had been out of service for 12 years due to the severe damage it sustained during the 2011 uprising and the subsequent years of conflict.

Its reopening marks a significant step toward revitalizing Libya’s air transport sector and reconnecting the central coastal region to domestic and international networks.

Located on a 25 km2 (9.7 mi.2) site, Sirte Gulf International Airport is designed to accommodate up to 500,000 passengers per year.