Flight Safety Foundation warns against use of illegal airport in occupied Cyprus

The illegal airport in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus is not an internationally recognized airport and therefore it is unknown whether it fulfills the necessary provisions of international regulations and safety standards.

This is underlined in a press release issued by the Flight Safety Foundation SE Europe-Middle East – Cyprus. The Foundation warns against the use of the illegal airport by an increasing number of Greek Cypriots and states that passengers may be at serious risk since the illegal airport is not supervised by any responsible international body like International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and EUROCONTROL.

"It is therefore obvious that, as the illegal pseudostate in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus is not recognized internationally, the airport and Control Center of the illegal airport are not supervised by any responsible body and it is unknown whether it fulfills the provisions of international regulations and safety standards," the press release notes.

The Flight Safety Foundation points out that it is questionable whether those who use the illegal airport have any insurance coverage in case of an accident, since no serious international insurance company would cover any illegal flights.

"But apart from safety issues, Greek Cypriots traveling from the illegal airport contribute indirectly and unwillingly to Turkey`s efforts to upgrade the pseudostate”, the press release concludes.

The illegal airport is a closed airport situated in the occupied part of the Republic of Cyprus, which the Government of Cyprus, as the sole legitimate and internationally recognized authority on the island, has declared since 1974 as an illegal point of entry into and exit from the Republic of Cyprus, for the reason of not being able to exercise control over the occupied part of its territory, as a result of the continuing Turkish military occupation.

Under International law the Republic of Cyprus is the sole sovereign authority with exclusive jurisdiction to determine which of its airports on its territory are open and functioning, as well as the terms of their operation.

It is not recognized by ICAO, which is the highest international authority on legal issues relating to civil aviation in general. ICAO’s policy on matters relating to Cyprus is in conformity with that of the United Nations and the international community. Consequently, ICAO recognizes only the Republic of Cyprus and its Government as the sole representative of the whole island.

It should also be stressed that according to ICAO decisions of 1974, 1975 and 1977, a country not exercising temporarily effective control over its territory by reason of military occupation, does not lose its sovereign rights over such territory and the airspace above it.