The Standard: A Libyan Airline has announced plans to commence flights from Tripoli to Nairobi beginning next year.

Afriqiyah Airways, which is a major airline in North Africa, announced that plans were at an advanced stage to commence the flight connecting Tripoli and East Africa.

"We are at a very advanced stage on starting operations in Kenya. We are currently limited because of the number of aircraft we own," said the airline’s Operations Director, Captain Ahmed Bukshem.

"The need to connect Africa with the rest of the world is our priority. In the next few years we will see this happen," he said adding they also intended to go to Southern Africa.

He said studies to establish the viability of the route is currently underway adding a team will later tour the country to negotiate with Kenya civil Aviation Authority on the operations.

He said the airline could commence flights after October subject to delivery of new jets.

Bukshem said the airline operates a fleet of six leased aircraft, but 23 new jets had been ordered.

He was speaking in Tripoli during the launch of an Airbus A320, the first that the country purchased since the embargo on trade was lifted.

Afriqiyah Airways, which was started in 2001, became the first beneficiary of the lifting of the trade embargo which has been in place for over 16 years after it ordered a fleet of the airbus aircraft family worth $2.8 billion to be supplied over the next 10 years.

‘‘With the lifting of the embargo, Afriqiyah has ordered 23 jets from the airbus family, which range from A320 to the A350 to be supplied within the next decade,’’ said Bukshem.

The airline previously operated a fleet of six leased aircraft due to the embargo. The fleet modernisation, said the airline’s commercial Director, Mr Rammah Ettir, will see the airline become the first carrier in the continent to operate the modern A350 model. The new A 320 has upgrades in environmental and flight controls.

Ettir said passengers in the new jet will enjoy other luxurious additions.

The new developments in Afriqiyah Airways are significant to Kenya considering the agreements entered between Kenya and Libya recently.

In June, President Kibaki paid a visit to Libyan leader, Colonel Muamar Gadaffi and among other issues the duo agreed to start flights between the two nations.

‘‘The Bilateral Air Services Agreement between the two leaders establishes air services between the two states and enables the designated airlines of both countries to commence scheduled commercial flights,’’ said Bukshem.

The two also signed another agreement seeking to promote and facilitate bilateral trade between the two nations.