British Airways marks 75 years in Cyprus

British Airways recently hosted a unique celebration to mark the 75th anniversary of the world-class carrier’s operations to Cyprus, with the airline undergoing several transformations since then, while the island passed through its most turbulent and yet most memorable years.

A reception was held at the British High Commissioner’s residence in Nicosia, attended by business people and government officials, as well as a number of BA’s loyal frequent flyers.

High Commissioner Peter Millett welcomed the guests aboard this “flight of fancy into history” referring to the unique nature of the relationship between Cyprus and BA in the past 75 years.

“This is a remarkable record which few airlines – or indeed countries – could possibly match,” he said.

“Our flight tonight is also a celebration of what makes the relations between Britain and Cyprus so special. It touches on areas we all value: tourism, family links, education, business, friendship.”

Marianna Trokoudes, BA Country Manager for Cyprus, took the audience back to 1932 and the earliest days of British Imperial Airways services to the island, which saw the airline operating flying-boat mail deliveries to Limassol Bay. The recognition then of a real need for passenger services to and from the island marked the earliest forging of the strong bonds that have existed between BA and Cyprus ever since.

She went on to trace the ongoing successes of both British Airways and Cyprus and how far the two have come in the past seven decades.

“Those years have seen Cyprus forge its place in the world as an independent nation and as a full member state of the European Union, while British Airways has established itself as one of the most highly regarded airlines in the world,” Marianna Trokoudes said.

“We are now the longest operating airline in Cyprus. This means a great deal to us, and is an achievement of which we are immensely proud,” she said.

“Through our commitment to the island, we have shown the travelling public that Cyprus continues to be a very important destination for us. And our pledge to you is that we will continue to seek out new ways to improve our services.”

Christian Fornaschon, BA’s Commercial Manager for South East Europe, said the relationship between British Airways and Cyprus was an example of how air travel has changed our world, saying that this anniversary also coincides with a number of major developments, such as the new Club World cabin currently being rolled out on the airline’s long-haul services.

“For years, Club World has set standards that others could only aspire to. And BA has invested more than GBP 100 mln to ensure that Club World remains the very best – both in the air and on the ground.”

He added that, “2008 will be an exciting time for British Airways and for anyone travelling to Heathrow with us, as we open the doors of Terminal 5. One of the most significant developments in air travel in decades, ‘T5’ is set to open in March 2008 and will become BA’s new ‘home’. An outstanding building and concept, it will transform travel via Heathrow for decades to come.”