CYPRUS: Monarch closure to affect 15,000 tourists

Tourism Minister Yiorgos Lakkotrypis said that the closure of Monarch Airlines will affect 15,000 tourists who were to visit Cyprus between now and the end of this year, but said that the majority will be able to arrange their trip to the island with other airlines.

Around 3,900 passengers of Monarch Airlines are stranded in Cyprus at the moment, of whom 280 are package holidays and the rest are seat-only sales.

The airline has arranged for their return with other airlines on the day they were supposed to depart with Monarch.

Announcing losses of GBP 300 mln for last year, Cyprus could lose some 100,000 ticket sales, but travel companies are hopeful that other airlines will pick up this traffic.