The flights will be offered from Paphos airport and will fly to Eindhoven in the Netherlands and Gdansk in Poland starting on August 3 as part of the airline’s extended summer schedule.

The airline is marking the move with a seat-sale with flights from just €23.99 one way. The sale is valid for travel until October and must be booked by midnight, Wednesday, July 1 on the Ryanair website.

The airline also issued a list on Monday a list of guidelines for passengers.

The measures include new compulsory rules to help to prevent any spread of Covid-19, as well as recommendations for passengers to limit interactions, and improved health & cleaning procedures on the aircraft.

Mandatory Masks – customers to wear face masks/coverings at all times in the terminal and on board the aircraft; Ryanair crew to wear face masks for the whole duration of the flight, including boarding and landing.

• Temperature Checks – on all persons entering airport (prior to check-in/ security screening), customers also urged to check their temperature prior to departing home.
• Hand hygiene – customers & crew encouraged to regularly hand wash and use hand sanitizers throughout airport terminals before boarding.
• Pre-Airport Check-In & Boarding Pass – customers encouraged to check-in online and download boarding passes via the Ryanair app.
• Self-Service – bag drops limited to self-service in all airports where service is available. Customers also to self-scan their boarding passes when boarding.
• Limited Baggage – customers urged to minimise baggage – preferably to 2 carry-on bags only.
• Fast Track & Priority Boarding – use of the fast track service to reduce queuing times at airport security and Priority Boarding to reduce interaction.
• No queuing – during boarding no customers will be allowed to dwell in boarding stairwells or air bridges; queuing will not be allowed on board at toilets.
• Cashless Payments – card payments only for all inflight purchases and airport fees/charges.
• Limited Trolley Service – a limited inflight Getaway Cafe service will operate offering pre-packaged snacks and drinks; Ryanair’s Runway Retail inflight magazine will be only available on the Ryanair app.
• Aircraft Sanitization – all aircraft disinfected daily with hospital grade disinfectant chemicals that are effective for over 24 hours.
• HEPA filters – fleet fitted with state-of the-art filtering system, which removes airborne particles and recycles air flow every 3-4 minutes.

Ryanair’s Eddie Wilson said: “We are delighted to be back flying from 1 July, and we encourage our guests and our people to follow Ryanair’s new ‘Healthy Flying’ measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and protect them across their whole journey.

All the aircraft are fitted with state-of-the-art filters – which remove any airborne particles while you travel – and every aircraft is disinfected daily with chemicals that are effective for over 24 hours. With temperature checks, face masks, cashless flights and self-service where possible, our customers can rest assured that we are doing everything we can to reduce human interaction and protect their health when flying Ryanair.”

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The new Airbus A320 will join the fleet on August 1, enabling the start of five new routes from Larnaca to Paris Beauvais, Eindhoven, Prague, Gdansk and Heraklion as well as more flights on the airline’s existing Athens route.

The new low-fare routes are already on sale on wizzair.com and in the airline’s mobile app with one-way fares starting at €19.99.

Wizz Air announced the opening of its Larnaca base less than a month ago by allocating two aircraft and adding eleven routes to the airline’s Larnaca network.

“Today we have some great news for Cypriot travellers and those who wish to visit the country. I am delighted that only a few weeks after announcing the establishment of our Larnaca base, today I can announce the third Larnaca based aircraft, and five additional low-fare routes connecting Cyprus with the rest of Europe,” Jozsef Varadi, CEO of Wizz Air Holding commented.

“Wizz Air’s history in Cyprus dates back a decade when the first flight landed in December 2010. The airline carried over 800,000 passengers to and from Cyprus in 2019,” the announcement said.

“The newly allocated capacity of over 280,000 seats per year will further contribute to the Cypriot aviation market and to the creation of over 30 new direct jobs with Wizz Air. Together with these five new services Wizz Air now offers 36 routes to 20 countries from Larnaca.”

As part of new enhanced hygiene protocols, throughout the flight, both cabin crew and passengers are required to wear facemasks, with cabin crew also required to wear gloves. Wizz Air’s aircraft are regularly put through an industry-leading fogging process with an antiviral solution and all of the airline’s aircraft are further disinfected overnight with the same antiviral solution. Sanitising wipes are handed to each passenger upon entering the aircraft.

Onboard magazines have been removed from the aircraft, and any onboard purchases are encouraged to be made by contactless payment. Passengers are requested to follow physical distancing measures introduced by the local health authorities and are encouraged to make all purchases prior to the flight online (e.g. checked in luggage, WIZZ Priority, fast security track), to minimize any possible physical contact at the airport. Click here to view Wizz Air’s new health and safety video, for more information.

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Category A Countries are Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland.

Category B Countries are Israel, Poland and Romania.

Source: CNA

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The approved action plan prepared by the Inter-ministerial Committee for the gradual lifting of restriction measures to flights from and to the Airports of Larnaca and Paphos, and the reopening of Airports and Hotels provides for the reopening of airports and the reconnection of Cyprus with other countries in two phases, Phase A – 9 to 19 June and Phase B – 20 June 2020.

The team of special scientists has classified countries on the basis of their epidemiological image in two categories, with which the connection of Cyprus by air is resumed.

Category A: Greece, Malta, Bulgaria, Norway, Austria, Finland, Slovenia, Hungary, Israel, Denmark, Germany, Slovakia, Lithuania.
Category B: Switzerland, Poland, Romania, Croatia, Estonia, Czech Republic.

In Phase A, those coming from countries of both categories must present a laboratory test certificate from an approved laboratory showing a negative result in order to be allowed to board their flight, with the test having taken place 72 hours prior to departure.

Cypriot citizens and permanent residents of Cyprus may alternatively undergo the laboratory testing at their arrival in Cyprus. In this case and until the announcement of the result, they shall remain in self-isolation at home.

CNA reports that there will be five arrivals and five departures from Larnaca Airport, the first from Aegean airline which is scheduled to depart around 0800 to Athens.

The first flight to land at Larnaca International Airport by Israel, will arrive from Tel Aviv at 1015.

Minister of Transport, Communications and Works,  Yiannis Karousos will be present at the airport to welcome the first passengers who will arrive in Larnaca following the airport’s opening.

Two more flights will arrive from Athens at 12.10  and 18.10, another flight from Sofia at 18.20 and one more flight from Athens at 23.10.

As far as departures are concerned, at 1120 there will be a flight to Tel Aviv, at 1400 to Athens, at 1900 for Sofia and at 1930 for Athens.
 In Phase B, which begins on 20 June, passengers coming from countries included in category A will not be required to bring a laboratory test certificate.

For passengers coming from countries included in category B shall apply the same requirement as for all passengers in the first phase, that is, they have to present a laboratory test certificate from an approved laboratory showing a negative result in order to be allowed to board their flight, with the test having taken place 72 hours prior to departure.

Cypriot citizens and permanent residents of Cyprus may alternatively undergo the laboratory testing at their arrival in Cyprus. In this case and until the announcement of the result, they shall remain in self-isolation at home.

Source: CNA

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Speaking to Sky News Mr Perdios said that the decision to exclude the UK as a source country of origin of flights permitted to Cyprus is purely one based on epidemiological and scientific data.

“I do expect that to change in the next few weeks, because our evaluation method is ongoing and takes place once a week. As the epidemiological situation of the UK and other countries abroad improves, there is every chance they will be able to be included in Category B or Category A that are allowed to fly to the island… I do feel it is a matter of weeks,” said the minister.

He also noted that the policy of the Cypriot government is to cover the costs of any visitor that displays symptoms of the coronavirus while in the island and subsequently tests positive, which means he and his family or close contacts should be isolated.

“As people will want to book their holidays we feel one of the key questions they are going to be asking themselves is ‘what happens if while I’m on holiday I show symptoms and then I test positive for the virus; who is going to cover that expense, who is going to take care of me?’. We wanted to create this package so people don’t fell afraid by that. We wanted to say that we will be there to take care of them and that they don’t need to worry about who is going to cover the cost,” Mr Perdios explained.

He added that this policy also means that a hotel will not be quarantined if a visitor falls ill with the virus, but that they and their contacts will be moved from the hotel.

Asked about his view on the 14-day quarantine for international arrivals that will be in place from Monday in the UK, Mr Perdios commented: “I certainly hope this is something that will be re-evaluated in the coming weeks. That, in combination with our own continuous re-evaluation of countries with regard to the categorisation, when these two thing work together I’m very confident that from some point in July and onwards people who live in the UK will be able to holiday as usual in Cyprus.”

Source: CNA

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Kaloyirou said that from June 9 onward when the two airports are set to open “all necessary measures in cooperation with the state medical services to safeguard the health of passenger and staff working at the airports will be taken.”

In particular, according to Kaloyirou entrance to the airport will only be allowed to passengers and staff, a thermal camera will be placed at the entrance of the passenger arrival gate at the airport so that people who present symptoms or have a high fever will be able to be treated by health professionals.

The use of a mask and gloves will be mandatory for everyone while they are inside the airport, while appropriate measures will be taken in order to maintain the necessary distance between people, she added.

She continued saying that the airports operator has implemented increased cleanliness measures, particularly on surfaces people touch, adding that they are cleaned several times per day in order to avoid virus transmission.

Additionally, she recalled, the government has announced who will be able to travel and whether they should have been tested for the coronavirus in case they have visited particular countries.

All passengers, Kaloyirou said, will have to fill in a questionnaire which will be published at a special website to be created by the government in which they will state whether they have any symptoms, whether they have travelled in recent days to particular countries, adding that if they need to be tested they will be able to submit their results via the website.

Referring to airport restaurants and duty-free shops she said that measures in place for all other shops and restaurants in Cyprus will also be in place at the airports.

A raising awareness campaign will also take place about all the measures taken at the airports to inform people of what is necessary. Large screens or posters containing informative material will also be posted, Kaloyirou added.

“It is important for people to know what they have to do before they arrive at the airport and that they are prepared,” she noted.

Source: CNA

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A Ministry of Education statement said that a third flight scheduled was cancelled due to a low turnout.

Priority was given to the first group where only half of the students expressed interest to return. The flights were booked from students in the next priority group.

During the next few days, more charter flights will be scheduled and those interested and are registered on the electronic list of the ministry will be informed.

Source: CNA

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A Press and Information official press release  said Yiannis Karousos, Minister of Transport, Communications and Work, issued a decree banning flights as of midnight, 4^th April,  Cyprus time, and for a 14-day period.

After “evaluating the situation and the dramatic situation in other European states and worldwide, we decided to extend the decree” introduced for two weeks on March 21 by another 14 days,” Karousos tweeted.

According to PIO, flights exempted from the ban are cargo, flights to Cyprus to evacuate people wishing to leave the Republic and flights to and from the Republic for humanitarian reasons or other individual   flights   (Emergency   flights)   for   exceptional emergency  circumstances,  which  will  only  be  permitted on  special  authorization  by  the  Minister  of  Transport, Communications and Works.

The first ban came into effect on 21^st March.

Source: CNA

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According to Ioannou, there will be exceptions to the obligation to present a medical certificate for Cypriots who will enter the Republic of Cyprus until March 21.

Speaking after a ministerial meeting at the Presidential Palace, chaired by the President of the Republic, the Minister of Health said that starting from 3am (local time) on March 21, 2020, all flights to Larnaca and Paphos airports, except cargo, will be banned from the following countries: Bahrein, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Egypt, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Jordan, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom and Greece.

Concerning the March 15 decree, that requires a medical certificate for people who want to enter the Republic of Cyprus, the Minister said that the measure will stay in force until 3am on March 21. Exceptions apply for those who traveled abroad for medical reasons or for a short stay, for business or professional purposes, and for those who are entitled to enter on the basis of the Vienna Convention.

People who traveled abroad for medical reasons may be accompanied by the people who went with them abroad and stayed with them during treatment, the Minister clarified.

He added that instead of presenting a medical certificate, people who fall within the categories announced today, will have to provide a certificate from one of the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Cyprus abroad. To get the certificate, they will have to present relevant evidence, such as outbound tickets or certificates from the medical treatment center.

Ioannou also said that flights without passengers to the Republic of Cyprus will be allowed in order to transport people who wish to depart from Cyprus.

Moreover, he said that the Republic of Cyprus will charter flights from Athens and London if necessary, in order to transport passengers back to Cyprus falling within the exceptions announced.

All passengers entering the Republic of Cyprus will be placed in quarantine for 14 days from the day of their arrival, in areas designated by the state. This does not apply for persons who went abroad for medical reasons, who will instead confine themselves at home to continue their treatment.

Source: CNA

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Source: CNA

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