Tripoli, 24 April 2013:
All flights in and out of Tripoli International Airport were cancelled today until further notice because of bad weather.
Tripoli has been hit by a ghibli (a sand storm). It started a couple of days ago but has grown in intensity.
Ibrahim Belhaj, deputy director of Tripoli International Airport, told the Libya Herald that 21 flights were cancelled since 10 am, 13 international fights and eight domestic ones.
Several flights flying to Tripoli had had to land at other airports because of the poor visibility, he said.
Large numbers of passengers were stranded at the airport as a result and were waiting for the ghibli to lift, he added. That could take take one or two more days.
Tripoli airport was supposed to have been re-equiped with and Instrument Landing System (ILS) for use at times of low visibility. It is still awaited.
http://www.libyaherald.com/2013/04/24/ghibli-shuts-tripoli-airport/