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{{update|date=March 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox airport
| name = Benina International Airport
| nativename =
| nativename-a = {{lang|ar|مطار بنينة الدولي}}
| nativename-r =
| image = BENINA_CONTROL_TOWER.BENGHAZI_-_panoramio.jpg
| image-width = 250
| caption =
| IATA = BEN
| ICAO = HLLB
| type = Public
| owner =
| operator = Civil Aviation and Meteorology Bureau
| city-served = [[Benghazi]], [[Libya]]
| location = [[Benina]]
| hub =
<div>
* [[Buraq Air]]
* [[Libyan Airlines]]
</div>
| metric-elev =
| elevation-f = 433
| coordinates = {{coord|32|05|50|N|20|16|10|E|region:LY|display=inline,title}}
| website =
| pushpin_map = Libya
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_label = '''BEN'''
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_mapsize =
| pushpin_image =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within Libya
| metric-rwy = y
| r1-number = 15R/33L
| r1-length-m = 3600
| r1-surface = Asphalt
| r2-number = 15L/33R
| r2-length-m = 3600
| r2-surface = Asphalt
| stat-year =
| stat1-header =
| stat1-data =
| stat2-header =
| stat2-data =
| footnotes = Sources: WAD,<ref name="WAD">{{cite web|url-status=usurped|url=http://worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi?airport=HLLB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190305143444/http://worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi?airport=HLLB|archive-date=2019-03-05|title=Airport information for HLLB|website=World Aero Data}} Data current as of October 2006.</ref> GCM<ref name="STV">{{GCM|BEN|Benina International Airport}}</ref> SkyVector<ref>{{cite web |title=Benghazi-Benina Airport |url=https://skyvector.com/airport/HLLB/Benghazi-Benina-Airport |website=SkyVector |access-date=14 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914061017/https://skyvector.com/airport/HLLB/Benghazi-Benina-Airport |archive-date=14 September 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}

'''Benina International Airport''' {{Airport codes|BEN|HLLB}} ({{lang-ar|مطار بنينة الدولي}}) serves [[Benghazi]], Libya. It is located in the borough of [[Benina]], 19 kilometres (12 mi) east of Benghazi, from which it takes its name. The airport is operated by the Civil Aviation and Meteorology Bureau of Libya and is the second largest in the country after [[Tripoli International Airport]]. Benina International is also the secondary hub of both [[Buraq Air]] and flag carrier, [[Libyan Airlines]]. As of 17 July 2014 all flights to the airport were suspended due to fighting in the area.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Saudi Gazette|url=http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20140717211775 |title=Libya in Mortal Danger|date=17 July 2014|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810002234/http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentid=20140717211775 |archive-date=10 August 2014 }}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Atcroutes-1sep1945.jpg|thumb|[[USAF]] [[Air Transport Command (United States Air Force)|Air Transport Command]] Routes, 1 September 1945]]
Benina was a [[Regia Aeronautica]] airport in 1917.
During [[World War II]] the airport was used by Italian 15°Stormo, and after the [[United States Army Air Forces]] [[Ninth Air Force]] during the Eastern Desert Campaign. Known as '''Soluch Airfield''',{{#tag:ref|Later Soluch Air Base}} it was used by the [[376th Bombardment Group]], which flew [[B-24 Liberator]] heavy bombers from the airfield between 22 February and 6 April 1943.<ref>Maurer, Maurer. ''Air Force Combat Units of World War II''. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History, 1983. {{ISBN|0-89201-092-4}}.</ref> From Benina airport started the US attack on the Ploesti oil refineries in August 1943 with 178 B-24 bombers (called [[Operation Tidal Wave]]), after an Italian "Arditi" paratroopers attack that destroyed some Allied aircraft in June 1943.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://bjuniornewblog.blogspot.com/2019/04/the-june1943-italian-arditi-attack-on_22.html |title=Italian paratroopers attack in Benina airport on June 1943 |date=22 April 2019 |access-date=24 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424020332/https://bjuniornewblog.blogspot.com/2019/04/the-june1943-italian-arditi-attack-on_22.html |archive-date=24 April 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Once the combat units moved west, it was used as a logistics hub by [[Air Transport Command (United States Air Force)|Air Transport Command]]. It functioned as a stopover en route to [[Payne Field]] near [[Cairo]] or to [[Mellaha Field]] near [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]] on the North African [[Cairo]]-[[Dakar]] transport route for cargo, transiting aircraft and personnel.

A new terminal with a capacity of 5 million passengers was to be developed north of the existing runway at Benina International under a 720 million LYD (€415 million) first-stage contract awarded to Canada's [[SNC-Lavalin]] as of 2008. The final cost was estimated at 1.1 billion LYD (€630 million). As with Tripoli International Airport, the new terminal was designed by Aéroports de Paris Engineering. Preliminary work and site preparation had started as of May 2008, but it remains unclear when the terminal will be open for operation.<ref>{{cite news |title=Libya to restructure air transport sector |first=Gunter |last=Endress |location=London |agency=[[Airline Business]] |publisher=[[Flightglobal]] |date=20 May 2008 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/libya-to-restructure-air-transport-sector-223823/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927214049/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/libya-to-restructure-air-transport-sector-223823/ |archive-date=27 September 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The contract for Benina International Airport included construction of a new international terminal, runway, and apron. The new airport would have been part of an extensive new infrastructure programme being undertaken by the government of Libya throughout the country.

In {{start date|df=yes|2011|3}}, forces loyal to [[Muammar Gaddafi]] bombed the airport.<ref>{{cite news |title=Libya: Gaddafi forces bomb Benghazi as US indicates no-fly zone support |url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/international/libya-gaddafi-forces-bomb-benghazi-as-us-indicates-no-fly-zone-support-1-1532489 |newspaper=[[The Scotsman]] |date=17 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522124846/http://www.scotsman.com/news/international/libya-gaddafi-forces-bomb-benghazi-as-us-indicates-no-fly-zone-support-1-1532489 |archive-date=22 May 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> No damages were reported to facilities.<ref>{{cite news |title=Gaddafi's planes strike around rebel stronghold |work=[[Reuters]] |date=17 March 2011 |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/libya-east-strikes-idUSWEA929420110317 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140522090531/http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/17/libya-east-strikes-idUSWEA929420110317 |archive-date=22 May 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The airport was closed on 16 May 2014, due to clashes in the area between militias and forces loyal to General [[Khalifa Haftar]].{{citation needed|date=December 2022}} As of 1 August 2014, international airlines had suspended all flights to Libya.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.libyaherald.com/2014/08/01/international-airlines-unsure-about-dates-for-resuming-libya-flights/#axzz39EOzawPJ|title=International airlines unsure about dates for resuming Libya flights {{!}}|website=Libyaherald.com|date=August 2014 |language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140804104116/http://www.libyaherald.com/2014/08/01/international-airlines-unsure-about-dates-for-resuming-libya-flights/#axzz39EOzawPJ|archive-date=4 August 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> As of 5 August 2015, the airport was closed to passenger traffic.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-libya-security-benghazi-insight-idUSKCN0QB0FK20150806|title=Libyan government offensive in Benghazi stalls as Islamists dig in|last=al-Warfalli|first=Ayman|work=U.S.|access-date=2018-08-21|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150809065318/http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/08/06/us-libya-security-benghazi-insight-idUSKCN0QB0FK20150806|archive-date=9 August 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 15 July 2017, the airport was reopened for commercial flights after three-years of closure due to fighting in Benghazi.<ref>{{cite web|title=Libya's Benghazi airport opens after three-year closure|date=15 July 2017 |url=http://www.africanews.com/2017/07/15/libya-s-benghazi-airport-opens-after-three-year-closure/|publisher=Africanews|access-date=15 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170715181933/http://www.africanews.com/2017/07/15/libya-s-benghazi-airport-opens-after-three-year-closure/|archive-date=15 July 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Military use==
According to reporting in ''[[Le Monde]]'', French special forces have operated out of Benina airport.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2016/02/24/la-france-mene-des-operations-secretes-en-libye_4870605_3210.html |newspaper=[[Le Monde]] |date=24 February 2016 |language=fr |first=Nathalie |last=Guibert |title=La France mène des opérations secrètes en Libye |access-date=30 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180630081131/https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2016/02/24/la-france-mene-des-operations-secretes-en-libye_4870605_3210.html |archive-date=30 June 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/24/isis-behead-11-police-officers-in-fighting-in-libya |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=24 February 2016 |title=French special forces assisting anti-Isis efforts in Libya, say sources |first1=Chris |last1=Stephen |first2=Kim |last2=Willsher |quote=A small French detachment has been operating from Benghazi’s Benina airport, the sources have reported, assisting forces of the internationally backed Libyan authorities in Tobruk. |access-date=30 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180630080929/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/24/isis-behead-11-police-officers-in-fighting-in-libya |archive-date=30 June 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q48GksSla_E |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/q48GksSla_E |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|author=Stratfor |author-link=Stratfor |publisher=[[YouTube]] |title=Satellite Imagery of French Special Operations in Libya |date=10 March 2016|quote=Stratfor Military Analyst Sim Tack explains a series of images revealing security improvements at Benina air base.}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==Airlines and destinations==
{{unreferenced section|date=March 2021}}
{{airport-dest-list

|[[Afriqiyah Airways]]| [[Borg El Arab Airport|Alexandria]], [[Queen Alia International Airport|Amman–Queen Alia]], [[Cairo International Airport|Cairo]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aaco.org/media-center/news/aaco-members/afriqiyah-airways-resumes-cairo-routes|title=Afriqiyah Airways resumes Cairo routes|website=aaco.org|date=28 September 2021}}</ref> [[Istanbul Airport|Istanbul]], [[Khartoum International Airport|Khartoum]], [[Kufra Airport|Kufra]], [[Mitiga International Airport|Tripoli–Mitiga]], [[Tunis-Carthage International Airport|Tunis]], [[Alzintan Airport|Zintan]]

|[[Berniq Airways]]| [[Khartoum International Airport|Khartoum]],<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/221011-nboct22krt | title=Berniq Airways Adds Libya – Sudan Link from mid-Oct 2022 }}</ref> [[Mitiga International Airport|Tripoli–Mitiga]]

|[[Buraq Air]]| [[Mitiga International Airport|Tripoli–Mitiga]]

|[[Cham Wings Airlines]]| [[Damascus International Airport|Damascus]]

|[[EgyptAir]]| [[Cairo International Airport|Cairo]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/29/breaking-news/296843/50-new-routes-starting-in-october-2021/|title=50 New Routes Starting In October 2021|website=routesonline.com|date=4 October 2021}}</ref>

|[[Libyan Airlines]]| [[Borg El Arab Airport|Alexandria]], [[Queen Alia International Airport|Amman–Queen Alia]], [[Istanbul Airport|Istanbul]], [[Kufra Airport|Kufra]], [[Mitiga International Airport|Tripoli–Mitiga]], [[Tunis-Carthage International Airport|Tunis]]<ref>[http://info.flightmapper.net/airport/BEN] {{dead link|date=October 2022}}</ref>

|[[Tunisair]]| [[Tunis-Carthage International Airport|Tunis]]

}}

==Accidents and incidents==
*On 4 April 1943, ''[[Lady Be Good (aircraft)|Lady Be Good]]'', a [[World War II]] [[B-24 Liberator]] based at Soluch Field, missed the airport while returning from a bombing mission in Italy. It crashed in the Libyan Desert 434 miles (699 km) southeast of Soluch Field and was lost for 15 years.<ref>[http://www.qmfound.com/lady_be_good_b-24_bomber_recovery.htm QMFound.com: ''Lady Be Good''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100225093545/http://www.qmfound.com/lady_be_good_b-24_bomber_recovery.htm |date=25 February 2010 }}</ref>
*On 9 August 1958, [[Central African Airways Flight 890]], a [[Vickers Viscount]] registration VP-YNE, crashed 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) south east of Benina International Airport, killing 36 of the 54 people on board.<ref>[http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19580809-0 Accident description Aviation Safety Network] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025075718/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19580809-0 |date=25 October 2012 }} (Original source "ICAO Accident Digest, Circular 59-AN/54 (171-178)) Retrieved 17 August 2015</ref>

==See also==
*[[Transport in Libya]]
*[[List of airports in Libya]]

==References==
{{Air Force Historical Research Agency}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Benina International Airport}}
{{wikinews|Runways at Libya's Benina International Airport}}
*[http://ourairports.com/airports/HLLB/ OurAirports - Benina Airport]
*{{ASN|BEN|Benghazi-Benina International Airport}}

{{portalbar|Libya|Aviation|World War II}}
{{USAAF 9th Air Force UK}}
{{Airports in Libya}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Airports in Libya]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Benghazi]]
[[Category:Cyrenaica]]
[[Category:Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces Air Transport Command in North Africa]]
[[Category:World War II airfields in Libya]]
[[Category:Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Libya]]

Benina International Airport - Revision history

Bot: robot: Create/upgrade articles. If there is a mistake please report on my talk page.