UK airline Jet2 has joined Tui and Thomas Cook in cancelling flights and holidays to Cyprus as Britain is on the verge of going into a second lockdown banning non-essential travel.
The company said flights to Larnaca and Paphos will resume in February 2021.
Jet 2 was the first UK tour operator to resume flights to Cyprus after the island lifted its travel restrictions on British tourists in August allowing entry to those with a negative COVID test.
The announcement follows the latest UK government travel advice, the company said.
A second lockdown coming into force on Thursday currently prohibits travel in the UK and abroad until December 2.
This is a blow to a Cyprus tourism industry relying on a late surge of British tourists in a year decimated by the pandemic.
Many of the hotels that had struggled to stay open will, now, most likely close until the new summer season.
Cyprus has also lowered its expectations for arrivals for 2020, believing it will be no more than 16% of last year’s record 3.97 million tourists.
A Jet2 spokeswoman told the UK’s Express: “Due to the latest government travel advice, we have taken the decision to suspend flights and holidays to Greece (Crete and Rhodes) and Cyprus (Larnaca and Paphos).
“We are planning to restart our flights and holidays programmes to Greece from 30 March 2021 and Cyprus from 13 February 2021.
“Where customers yet to travel are affected by any programme changes, we have been repeatedly recognised for how we have been looking after them, and we will be automatically cancelling affected bookings with a full refund.
“For customers in resort, we are operating a programme of inbound flights up to and including November 8.”
“For customers due to depart up to and including Wednesday, November 4, and who do not wish to travel, they can amend their booking to a later date with no admin fee.
“If flights or holidays are affected by any changes, we will contact customers to advise them of their options. Customers in resort should continue to enjoy their holidays as planned.”
Jet2’s cancellations follow similar action by fellow tour operators TUI and Thomas Cook.
