Cyprus’ two international gateways—Larnaca and Paphos—were eerily quiet on 2 January after Greek air-traffic controllers joined a 24-hour nationwide strike that paralysed the Hellenic aviation network. Airport operator Hermes confirmed 27 cancellations at Larnaca and four at Paphos, all on routes to Athens and Thessaloniki; seven further rotations were rescheduled outside the strike window.
The walk-out formed part of a broader labour action led by Greece’s public- and private-sector unions ADEDY and GSEE, who are demanding wage hikes, stronger collective-bargaining rights and the restoration of 13th- and 14th-month salaries. Because Cypriot carriers such as Cyprus Airways and Aegean Airlines rely on Greek flight-information regions for navigation, even services merely over-flying Greek airspace had to reroute or take on extra fuel for holding patterns.
![Greek Air-Traffic-Controller Strike Grounds 31 Cyprus-Greece Flights, Tests Contingency Plans]()
For mobility managers the disruption was an early-year stress test. EU261 compensation rules applied, but many travellers pivoted to routings via Istanbul, Cairo or Gulf hubs, underscoring the value of multi-ticket strategies. Pharmaceutical forwarders shipping temperature-sensitive goods from Cypriot free-zones to central Europe reported delays as belly-hold capacity evaporated.
Should travellers suddenly need visas or transit permits for those alternative routings, VisaHQ can cut the red tape. Through its Cyprus portal (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) the service provides up-to-date entry requirements, fast-track e-visa processing and live support—helpful when strike turbulence forces last-minute itinerary changes.
Unions have warned of rolling strikes if talks stall; companies with commuter assignees between Cyprus and Greece should therefore keep flexible booking classes and monitor NOTAMs issued by Greece’s Civil Aviation Authority. Diversifying routings and reinforcing travel-risk communications will be crucial until wage negotiations reach a settlement.
The walk-out formed part of a broader labour action led by Greece’s public- and private-sector unions ADEDY and GSEE, who are demanding wage hikes, stronger collective-bargaining rights and the restoration of 13th- and 14th-month salaries. Because Cypriot carriers such as Cyprus Airways and Aegean Airlines rely on Greek flight-information regions for navigation, even services merely over-flying Greek airspace had to reroute or take on extra fuel for holding patterns.
For mobility managers the disruption was an early-year stress test. EU261 compensation rules applied, but many travellers pivoted to routings via Istanbul, Cairo or Gulf hubs, underscoring the value of multi-ticket strategies. Pharmaceutical forwarders shipping temperature-sensitive goods from Cypriot free-zones to central Europe reported delays as belly-hold capacity evaporated.
Should travellers suddenly need visas or transit permits for those alternative routings, VisaHQ can cut the red tape. Through its Cyprus portal (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) the service provides up-to-date entry requirements, fast-track e-visa processing and live support—helpful when strike turbulence forces last-minute itinerary changes.
Unions have warned of rolling strikes if talks stall; companies with commuter assignees between Cyprus and Greece should therefore keep flexible booking classes and monitor NOTAMs issued by Greece’s Civil Aviation Authority. Diversifying routings and reinforcing travel-risk communications will be crucial until wage negotiations reach a settlement.
