Cyprus’s Department of Civil Aviation late on 9 January issued NOTAM A0026/26, advising airlines that Larnaca International Airport (LCLK) will be CLOSED to all traffic except emergency flights from 09:00 on 10 February until 11:15 on 12 February. The restriction—linked to large-scale military firing activity in the island’s Flight Information Region—comes on top of an overnight runway works programme (NOTAM A0009/26) that begins tonight, 10 January.
The blanket closure is unusual for a commercial EU airport and will force carriers to reroute or cancel dozens of flights in the middle of the winter charter season. Hermes Airports, the operator of Larnaca and Paphos, told airlines in a bulletin that it is coordinating diversion slots at Paphos (PFO) and—in limited cases—at Heraklion (HER) and Tel Aviv (TLV). Slot allocation priority will be given to medical flights and long-haul services with tight crew-duty limits.
![New NOTAM: Larnaca Airport to close completely 10-12 February for military exercise]()
Regardless of whether travellers are rebooked via Paphos, Heraklion, or Tel Aviv, they should double-check that their passports and any requisite visas are in order. Online concierge service VisaHQ can streamline Cyprus visa applications, advise on entry formalities for neighbouring diversion airports, and keep passengers updated as regulations evolve—visit https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/ for fast, tailored assistance.
Travel-risk specialists note that the notice coincides with annual Republic of Cyprus National Guard live-fire exercises, which in previous years have been confined to restricted offshore zones. The 2026 drill will, for the first time, involve air-to-surface components that require the temporary sterilisation of civilian airspace around Larnaca.
Corporate travel managers should immediately audit itineraries touching Cyprus during the affected window. For essential travel, companies should consider re-ticketing to Paphos and arranging ground transport to Nicosia or Limassol (approx. 90 minutes by toll road). Travellers with tight connections in the Gulf or Europe should be rebooked to avoid mis-connects. Cargo operators moving time-sensitive perishables from the island’s pharmaceutical and agri-food clusters are advised to shift uplift to Paphos or use sea-air options via Athens.
The blanket closure is unusual for a commercial EU airport and will force carriers to reroute or cancel dozens of flights in the middle of the winter charter season. Hermes Airports, the operator of Larnaca and Paphos, told airlines in a bulletin that it is coordinating diversion slots at Paphos (PFO) and—in limited cases—at Heraklion (HER) and Tel Aviv (TLV). Slot allocation priority will be given to medical flights and long-haul services with tight crew-duty limits.
Regardless of whether travellers are rebooked via Paphos, Heraklion, or Tel Aviv, they should double-check that their passports and any requisite visas are in order. Online concierge service VisaHQ can streamline Cyprus visa applications, advise on entry formalities for neighbouring diversion airports, and keep passengers updated as regulations evolve—visit https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/ for fast, tailored assistance.
Travel-risk specialists note that the notice coincides with annual Republic of Cyprus National Guard live-fire exercises, which in previous years have been confined to restricted offshore zones. The 2026 drill will, for the first time, involve air-to-surface components that require the temporary sterilisation of civilian airspace around Larnaca.
Corporate travel managers should immediately audit itineraries touching Cyprus during the affected window. For essential travel, companies should consider re-ticketing to Paphos and arranging ground transport to Nicosia or Limassol (approx. 90 minutes by toll road). Travellers with tight connections in the Gulf or Europe should be rebooked to avoid mis-connects. Cargo operators moving time-sensitive perishables from the island’s pharmaceutical and agri-food clusters are advised to shift uplift to Paphos or use sea-air options via Athens.
