Filenews 25 January 2023
A total of 22 flights, arrivals and departures, to and from Larnaka and Pafos airports, are affected by the pancyprian work stoppage, announced by the trade unions for tomorrow, from 12:00 to 15:00.
As Maria Kouroupi, Senior Director of Aviation Development, Marketing and Communication of Hermes Airports, mentioned, "during tomorrow's strike, 9 arrivals and 7 departures were scheduled at Larnaka Airport, while at Paphos Airport 3 arrivals and 3 departures". As he noted, "most flights have been rescheduled, with the aim of either arriving earlier or departing as soon as the strike ends."
He added that "there are still two flights pending and we are waiting for the airline to inform us of the new times, while, so far, there is no flight cancellation." In total, he said, "about 4,000 passengers, arrivals and departures are affected at Larnaca and Paphos airports."
Ms. Kouroupi noted that "the airlines have already informed passengers about the new departure times of the flights. On the website of Hermes Airports in ww.hermesairports.com there are posted the new flight times, while the flight schedule is updated".
Responding to a relevant question, he said that "those passengers travelling after the strike, i.e. around 4 pm and have made a web check-in, will have the opportunity to go through the security check where there will be a safe / lane open during the strike as well as passport control". After the end of the strike, he stressed, arrangements have been made to have additional staff at the airports so that the flight schedule can be resumed as quickly as possible.
In the event, Ms. Kouroupi continued, "that a passenger travels tomorrow during the three hours of the strike and has not been notified by the airline or travel agent of any change, they should seek to contact them or visit the airline's website to find out how their flight was affected."
He further said that "some flights that are very close to the beginning and end of the strike, may have some kind of delay. However, we are taking all the necessary steps to manage the situation."
According to Ms. Kouroupi, "despite the fact that the flights have been rescheduled, we have received an assurance from the Control Tower that in case there is any delay and a flight approaches Cyprus within this three-hour strike, the aircraft will land". Still, he said, "ground handling companies, although participating in the strike, will not leave people on board if a plane arrives during the strike."
He also said that the whole of tomorrow will have some problems given that there will be a three-hour disruption to the flight schedule of Cyprus' airports. "At the same time, based on the information we have, there will be neither cancellation of flights nor transfer of passengers from one flight to another and it seems that the rescheduling of flights will apply," he concluded.
