Severe gusts and heavy rain in western Cyprus forced Ryanair flight FR 3133 from London Stansted to abandon its approach to Paphos on 22 January and land 130 kilometres away at Larnaca International Airport. The Boeing 737 touched down safely at 14:00 local time; passengers were later bussed back to Paphos.
The diversion underscores the vulnerability of Cyprus’ coastal airports—especially Paphos, which has a single runway perpendicular to prevailing winter winds—to sudden weather changes. Hermes Airports, the private operator of both gateways, said contingency protocols worked as planned but advised carriers to carry extra fuel reserves during the current storm cycle.
For business travellers, the incident is a reminder to build slack into meeting schedules and to monitor NOTAMs and Met Office updates when routing via Cyprus during the January–February low-pressure season. Travel-management companies report a spike in last-minute hotel bookings around Larnaca this week as airlines reposition crews.
![Strong winds divert Ryanair flight from Paphos to Larnaca, highlighting winter weather risk]()
If your travel plans now include unexpected layovers or rescheduling in Cyprus, VisaHQ can help secure any necessary visas or travel documents quickly and online, ensuring compliance with the latest entry requirements; visit https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/ for streamlined application options and real-time guidance.
Logistics firms moving perishables through Paphos’ cargo terminal should also have diversion plans. Customs officials confirmed that temporary clearances issued at Larnaca will be honoured at Paphos within 24 hours to minimise supply-chain disruption.
Meteorologists expect the low-pressure system to linger over the Eastern Mediterranean until Sunday, bringing further wind-shear risks and possible hold-overs at both airports.
The diversion underscores the vulnerability of Cyprus’ coastal airports—especially Paphos, which has a single runway perpendicular to prevailing winter winds—to sudden weather changes. Hermes Airports, the private operator of both gateways, said contingency protocols worked as planned but advised carriers to carry extra fuel reserves during the current storm cycle.
For business travellers, the incident is a reminder to build slack into meeting schedules and to monitor NOTAMs and Met Office updates when routing via Cyprus during the January–February low-pressure season. Travel-management companies report a spike in last-minute hotel bookings around Larnaca this week as airlines reposition crews.
If your travel plans now include unexpected layovers or rescheduling in Cyprus, VisaHQ can help secure any necessary visas or travel documents quickly and online, ensuring compliance with the latest entry requirements; visit https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/ for streamlined application options and real-time guidance.
Logistics firms moving perishables through Paphos’ cargo terminal should also have diversion plans. Customs officials confirmed that temporary clearances issued at Larnaca will be honoured at Paphos within 24 hours to minimise supply-chain disruption.
Meteorologists expect the low-pressure system to linger over the Eastern Mediterranean until Sunday, bringing further wind-shear risks and possible hold-overs at both airports.
