Joint working group established for resumption of Cyprus-Israel flight connection

Cyprus and Israel established a working group this week to prepare all necessary conditions for the resumption of the aviation connection between the two countries, Ambassador of Israel in Nicosia, Shmuel Revel told the Cyprus News Agency on Friday.

Revel said the working group will prepare the necessary regulations for approval by decision makers, before the flight connection is restored.

"There are risks that need to be minimized but there is also an important opportunity to further deepen the synergies between Israel and Cyprus," he noted.

Asked about the prospects for cooperation between Cyprus and Israel in the tourism sector, given the circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic, Revel said that "we started this week a process for the resumption of the aviation connection between Israel and Cyprus.”

“Together with Minister of Transport Yiannis Karousos, Deputy Minister of Tourism Savvas Perdios and the heads of the Aviation Authorities of the two countries, we established a joint working group to prepare all the necessary conditions for this to happen."

He noted that "the combat against the COVID-19 is still a big challenge,” stressing that “as we move forward, the priority is to ensure the health of the passengers and their safety.”

Revel added that “the work we started is an important first step to enable Israelis and Cypriots to cross the short distance between our two countries. This will also open the door to further development of our economic relations – in trade, industry, energy, technological innovation and gradually, tourism too".

“This partnership, coupled with the close links in the Medical field, enabled us to establish a meaningful cooperation, between Israeli and Cypriot health professionals, in the combat against the COVID-19," he noted.

Revel highlighted that given that the two countries were successful in confronting the coronavirus pandemic, “this is a good starting point for our current efforts. We need to proceed carefully, but there is a solid foundation for our efforts to relaunch the important air connection between Israel and Cyprus."