Benghazi Airport

Benina International Airport مطار بنينة الدولي
IATA: BEN ICAO: HLLB
Summary
Airport type	Public
Operator	Civil Aviation and Meteorology Bureau
Serves	Benina, Benghazi, Libya
Hub for	Buraq Air Libyan Airlines
Elevation AMSL	132 m / 433 ft
Coordinates	32°05′49″N 20°16′10″E / 32.09694°N 20.26944°E / 32.09694; 20.26944Coordinates: 32°05′49″N 20°16′10″E / 32.09694°N 20.26944°E / 32.09694; 20.26944
Map
BEN Location within Libya
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 15R/33L 3,576 11,732 Asphalt 15L/33R 3,576 11,732 Asphalt
Sources: WAD, STV

Benina International Airport (IATA: BEN, ICAO: HLLB) (Arabic: مطار بنينة الدولي‎‎) serves Benghazi, Libya. It is located in the town 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.

During World War II, the airport was used by the United States Army Air Forces Ninth Air Force during the Eastern Desert Campaign. Known as Soluch Airfield, 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. Once the combat units moved west, it was used as a logistics hub by Air Transport Command. It functioned as a stopover en route to Payne Field near Cairo or to Mellaha Field near Tripoli on the North African Cairo-Dakar transport route for cargo, transiting aircraft and personnel.