Passengers have been evacuated from Paphos International Airport in Cyprus amid reports of an unidentified drone flying into its airspace. Here are the latest updates from airlines with flights to the island.
Paphos International Airport in Cyprus ordered an ‘immediate and total evacuation’ this morning (March 2) amid reports that an unidentified drone had been flown into its restricted airspace.
Some European airlines including easyJet have already been cancelling their flights to Larnaca International Airport, a major hub for package holidays, after a drone strike hit the RAF base in Akrotiri in Cyprus.
Cyprus is a popular destination for Brits, with over 1.3 million visiting each year, and with the busy Easter period on the way, many holidaymakers may be wondering how this will affect their travel plans. Around 60 flights have been cancelled to the island today, and airlines will be closely monitoring the situation in order to make a decision on resuming flights in the coming days and weeks.
Check out updates from airlines including British Airways and easyJet below. Travellers to the island should also keep up to date with FCDO advice for Cyprus, as the situation is likely to change quickly.
British Airways (BA)
BA said in its latest statement: “We are closely monitoring the situation and have cancelled a number of flights to the Middle East. We understand it is a difficult time for customers in affected destinations and we are in contact with them to offer reassurance and support. Safety is our top priority and we will only operate a flight if it is safe to do so.”
It added: “We have cancelled flights to Amman, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, Doha and Tel Aviv up to and including the 05 March and today’s Larnaca service [March 2].
“We have actioned a flexible customer booking policy which allows all customers due to travel between London Heathrow and Abu Dhabi, Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai, Tel Aviv in the coming days the option to change their flights for free or get a refund. Customers travelling to Larnaca can rebook for free.
“We are advising customers to check their flight status on BA.com for the latest updates before travelling to the airport due to the evolving situation.”
EasyJet
EasyJet has been advising passengers on X (formerly Twitter) to check its Flight Tracker for the latest information on whether their Cyprus flight will be delayed or cancelled.
An easyJet spokesperson told The Express: “Due to the events overnight affecting the RAF base in Akrotiri in Cyprus, as a precaution, three return flights between Paphos and Larnaca and the UK today will not be operating.
“Flights from 3 March are currently operating as planned but we would advise customers due to travel to and from Cyprus over the coming days to check our flight tracker for the latest information.
“We are doing all we can to minimise the impact for our customers and are providing options for rebooking including on other airlines or a refund as well as hotel accommodation and meals for those who require them.”
TUI
TUI haven’t released a specific statement on Cyprus holidays yet, either for passengers on TUI’s airlines or for package holiday customers. Paphos and Larnaca airport shows TUI flights scheduled from Wednesday onwards, with no cancellations or delays showing at the time of writing.
However, TUI has released a statement for customers due to fly out to the UAE or Qatar up to and including March 8, advising: “our pre-travel team will be in contact with you ahead of your departure date.” It also advises: “We are working though bookings in date order and will call you to discuss your options. However, if you would prefer, please call us on 0203 451 2688.” Should the current situation extend to Cyprus, it’s likely the process would be the same.
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Jet2
Jet2 flights scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday (March 3 and 4) are not yet showing as cancelled or delayed on the Paphos Airport website. Customers who have asked for advice via Jet2’s official X account have been advised to contact the Jet2 pre-travel team via Whatsapp to discuss their options.
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