受聯合國安理會748號決議影響,認為利比亞政府有支援恐怖份子策動洛克比空難及法國聯合航空772號班機(法語:Union des Transports Aériens),對利比亞實施貿易制裁,包括飛機供應和取消其在外國的飛航及起降權。這使利比亞航空無法執行任何國際航班,只能經營國內航線。由於無法取得西方國家的飛機零件供應,因此只好向蘇聯購入伊留申76和圖-154飛機。
^Airliner market. Flight International. 17 March 1979, 115 (3652): 816 [2019-11-06]. (原始内容存档于2012-10-18). Libya is to receive three 747s for use by Libyan Arab Airlines on routes to Africa and Europe. The sale has been approved by the US State Department, which considers that the aircraft will not be "misused" for military purposes. No details of the version ordered by Libya are yet available. But even if they have no maindeck cargo facility, the sale has already provoked hostile reaction from the Senate foreign relations committee, which fears that the aircraft will be used to supply terrorist groups and radical regimes. The State Department has also approved the sale of three Boeing 727s to Libya
^Airliner market. Flight International. 9 June 1979, 115 (3564): 1978 [2019-11-06]. (原始内容存档于2013-10-20). Boeing will not, after all, be allowed to sell three 747s to Libya. The US State Department has reversed an earlier decision to allow the sale because of concern that Libya will use the aircraft to ferry military material and troops. Libyan Arab Airlines operates Boeing 727s and it is believed that these were used to support the Libyan expeditionary force in Uganda before the overthrow of the Amin regime