Libya's Berniq Airways buys six Airbus aircraft

BENGHAZI (Reuters) - Libya's Berniq Airways said on Friday it has signed an agreement with Airbus to purchase six A320neo and A321neo aircraft.

Berniq did not disclose the cost or a timeline for delivery.

"It is worth noting that this agreement will be followed by several other agreements in several areas, the most important of which are training, maintenance and safety," Berniq said.

The company posted photos of the signing, saying it was held in Toulouse, France, on Thursday.

Berniq is headquartered in Libya's second-largest city, Benghazi. The private company was founded in 2018 and began operations in 2021.

It operates domestic flights from Benghazi to Labraq in the east, and to Tripoli, Misrata and Zintan in the west.

It also operates daily and weekly flights to Tunisia, Egypt, Turkey, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Dubai.

Libya slid into chaos after the fall of the former regime of Muammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011. Three years later, a civil war broke out between armed factions vying for power and divided the country between eastern and western administrations.

The war caused damage to up to 20 aircraft, including Airbus models, at Tripoli International Airport in 2014.

(Reporting by Ayman Werfali in Benghazi; Writing by Ahmed Elumami; Editing by Matthew Lewis)