CYPRUS: Passenger traffic up 18% at airports

Nearly 9 mln passengers travelled through Larnaca and Paphos airports last year, an increase of 18% from 2015, according to operator Hermes Airports.

 
A significant increase was recorded in the number of passengers processed through both airports and a further boost to Cyprus’ connectivity, with the entrance of new airlines and the introduction of new routes.
Specifically, a total of 8,974,163 passengers travelled through the airports in 2016, 1,365,000 more than in 2015. There was a 24.5% rise at Larnaca and 2.6% at Paphos airport. According to Hermes Airports, the most important increases were from Russia (+47%), the United Kingdom (+13%), Greece (+14.5%) and Israel (+47%).
The airports’ network was enhanced by the operation of ten new airlines and the introduction of 21 new routes, boosting the island’s connectivity. The new airlines, Cobalt Air, Pobeda, TUS Airways, Ellinair, Air Berlin, Azur Air, Yan Air, Wind Rose, Alitalia and Israir, carried some 428,000 passengers, while an increase in the number of flights to existing routes led to an additional 919,000 passengers.