Newsroom
The Civil Aviation Authority is urging Nicosia residents not to worry about recent sightings of civilian aircraft flying over the city, following takeoffs from the illegal Tympos airport in the occupied areas of the island.
Haris Antoniadis, head of the Air Traffic Control Service, told local media that such flights are not unusual. Pilots sometimes divert their routes over the free areas to avoid the Pentadaktylos mountains during bad weather.
“Recently, some flights from the occupied areas had to head west after takeoff to steer clear of clouds and severe weather over the mountains,” Antoniadis explained.
Asked whether these flights pose any risk to people on the ground, Antoniadis was clear: residents should have no reason to be concerned. He noted that in many cities around the world, civilian aircraft regularly fly over populated areas when approaching airports on city outskirts.
In one recent instance, a Turkish Airlines flight that entered the free areas communicated directly with the Republic of Cyprus’ Air Traffic Center to ensure safe navigation.
“These diversions are routine safety measures,” Antoniadis said. “They are designed to keep flights safe, smooth, and predictable for everyone, passengers and people on the ground alike.”
