Tripoli International Airport

The airport was forced to close in July 2014 after being destroyed during the Second Libyan Civil War. Intense fighting between rival militias, known as the 'Battle of Tripoli Airport', resulted in catastrophic damage to the infrastructure. This included the destruction of the main passenger terminals, the air traffic control tower, and at least 20 civilian aircraft belonging to the national carriers, Afriqiyah Airways and Libyan Airlines. Subsequent fighting in the region, particularly during the 2019-2020 Western Libya offensive, caused further damage and prevented any sustained reconstruction efforts.

The airport site remains largely in ruins and is non-operational for commercial traffic. The terminals destroyed in 2014 have not been fully rebuilt, and the airfield is littered with the wreckage of destroyed aircraft and damaged buildings. The area has been a strategic point in various conflicts, and its security remains fragile. All air traffic for Tripoli has been redirected to Mitiga International Airport (IATA: MJI, ICAO: HLLM), which now serves as the capital's primary, functioning airport.

Tripoli International Airport (correct ICAO: HLLT, IATA: TIP) was Libya's largest and most important airport, serving as the primary international gateway to the country for decades. Its history is significant:

1. **Military Origins:** It was originally established in the 1920s as an Italian military airfield (Mellaha Air Base). It was captured by the British during WWII and became RAF Castel Benito, later renamed RAF Idris in 1952.
2. **Cold War Era:** After WWII, it was shared with the United States Air Force and expanded into Wheelus Air Base, a major strategic US airbase in North Africa during the Cold War. It was one of the largest American airbases outside the US.
3. **Libyan National Airport:** Following the 1969 coup led by Muammar Gaddafi, the US was ordered to withdraw. The base was handed over to the Libyan government in 1970 and converted into a civilian airport, named Tripoli International Airport. It also housed the Okba Ben Nafi Air Base for the Libyan Air Force.
4. **Economic & Diplomatic Hub:** As the main international airport, it was the hub for national carriers Libyan Airlines and Afriqiyah Airways. It handled nearly all international passenger and cargo traffic to the capital, connecting Libya to Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. It was also central to the events surrounding the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, as the sanctions that followed heavily restricted its operations for years.
5. **Modernization Plans:** Before the 2011 revolution, the airport was undergoing a major expansion project with two new, modern terminals designed by Aéroports de Paris and slated to handle 20 million passengers annually. These terminals were partially constructed but never completed due to the ensuing conflict.

There are active and ongoing plans for the airport's reconstruction, but the timeline remains uncertain.

- **Italian Consortium Contract:** In 2017, the Libyan government signed a contract with an Italian consortium, 'Aeneas', to rebuild the two destroyed passenger terminals and related infrastructure.
- **Stalled Progress:** Work has started and stopped multiple times due to the unstable security situation, political divisions, and funding issues. The 2019-2020 offensive on Tripoli caused a complete halt to the project.
- **Renewed Efforts:** Since 2021, there have been renewed efforts by Libya's Government of National Unity to restart the project with the same Italian consortium. Officials have held numerous meetings and site visits, and preliminary work (such as clearing debris and securing the site) has reportedly resumed.

Despite these plans, a firm reopening date has not been set. The project's completion is entirely dependent on achieving long-term political and security stability in Libya.