29.08.10
Tour operators blocked plans for Ryanair to offer flights to Cyprus from the UK as part of a cut-price deal on airport charges at Larnaca and Paphos, Travel Weekly reports. The airline has announced that it will lounch services from Charleroi (Belgium) to Larnaca this winter, and will add flights from Stockholm or Madrid shortly – but has been unable to announce UK flights, at least for now.
According to Travel Weekly, UK tour operators threatened to pull out if the discounted airport fees deal is extended to flights from the UK, saying additional capacity is not needed. Ryanair wants to fly to the island from Stansted, its biggest UK base that is also close to North London where there is a big Greek Cypriot community.
Sunvil Holidays managing director Noel Josephides told the trade publication: ‘Tour operators said ‘If there is a UK route, there will be hardly any tour operator capacity to Cyprus. The Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) understood there is enough capacity already from the UK.’
A Ryanair spokesman declined to discuss its operations to Cyprus saying the issue was ‘very sensitive’, but it is understood to be very keen to extend the deal to its biggest market. CTO UK director Orestis Rossides said: ‘UK tour operators were very upset. We do not want anyone to cannibalise the market. This does not affect the UK for the time being.’
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