Cyprus Summer Airline Seats Cut by No More Than 5%, Says Airport Operator
Impact of Regional Conflict on Cyprus Airline and Tourism Sector
Overview of Airline Seat Reductions
NICOSIA, May 6 (Reuters) - Airline seat availability to Cyprus this summer will be reduced by "no more" than 5%, the country's airport operator Hermes Airports said on Wednesday, as the Iran war dampens the regional tourism outlook.
Tourism Arrivals and Regional Events
Tourist arrivals to the eastern Mediterranean island have fallen since the U.S. and Israel launched the war against Iran in late February. A British military base in Cyprus was hit in a lone drone strike on March 2.
Airline Schedule Adjustments
Airlines have cut about 600,000 seats from schedules for the April-October summer season, while passenger arrivals are expected to decline by around 9%, or roughly 450,000 travellers, said Hermes, which operates the Larnaca and Paphos international airports.
Flight Frequency and Fuel Supply
Most adjustments involved lower flight frequencies rather than route cancellations, and there had been no impact on schedules due to fuel-scarcity issues, it said.
Recent Recovery in Passenger Arrivals
Arrivals in recent weeks have shown signs of recovery, with passenger load factors on aircraft rising to between 80% and 85% since April 20 compared to an average of 76% earlier in April. Key tourism markets, including Britain and Poland, were recording load factors exceeding 90%, Hermes said.
(Writing by Michele Kambas; Editing by Joe Bavier)
