“The decision is irresponsible and warns that these two professions do not have a right of withdrawal from Air France,” said SNPNCFO regarding Air France’s recent flight resumption over Libya.
Air France has resumed flights over Libya since the end of March 2026. This move has sparked significant concern among flight crew unions, who question the safety of operating in Libyan airspace.
The European Air Transport Authority continues to recommend against flying over Libya, citing ongoing safety issues. However, Air France claims that the French Directorate General of Civil Aviation approved its flights over a specific corridor.
These flights reportedly save time on routes to certain African cities. For example, Air France can save approximately 47 minutes on flights to Kinshasa and 52 minutes on routes to Johannesburg.
Meanwhile, Air France flight AF174 was diverted to Montréal due to a medical emergency on board. It was about seven hours into its scheduled 11-hour journey when the diversion occurred.
In related news, Air France-KLM cut its 2026 capacity growth outlook due to rising jet fuel prices. The company’s share price saw a 3.8 percent increase in one day but has experienced a total decline of 26.2 percent year-to-date.
The successful Egypt Air emergency landing at the very remote Kufra airport helped allay fears and encourage more flights into crossing Libya’s vast airspace. Still, uncertainty lingers as crew unions express their apprehensions.
The captain is ultimately responsible for decisions made during flights. According to Air France, “the captain is the ultimate decision-maker of a plane in the air and can decide to make a detour and not pass over Libya.”