Travellers arriving at Larnaca International Airport on the morning of 27 January 2026 were greeted by grid-locked access roads after the terminal’s temporary pick-up area reached maximum capacity. Airport operator Hermes Airports redirected private vehicles to overflow car parks, but motorists reported delays of up to 40 minutes as queues extended onto the A3 spur road.
The congestion stems from an ongoing construction project that has closed the original arrivals roadway until mid-2027. While the works aim to expand kerbside capacity by 30 per cent, the interim layout funnels all private cars into a single lane, creating a bottleneck during peak wave arrivals from London, Athens and Tel Aviv.
Hermes said it is accelerating signage upgrades and will roll out a pre-booking system for short-stay pick-ups next month. Ride-hailing and limousine operators welcomed the move but urged authorities to synchronise the system with flight-tracking data to prevent fines when aircraft land early.
![Passenger Pick-Ups Snarl Larnaca Airport Traffic After Temporary Zone Hits Capacity]()
While transport logistics are one headache, entry formalities can be another. Visitors who still need to confirm their Cyprus visa status can save time by using VisaHQ’s online processing service (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/), which streamlines applications and keeps travellers updated on requirements—useful peace of mind when airport delays are already cutting into schedules.
For business travellers, the episode is a reminder to build extra transfer time into itineraries. Corporate travel managers may wish to shift VIP collections to the less-affected departures forecourt, accessible via the multi-storey car park, or to consider helicopter shuttles from nearby private terminals for high-value executives.
Local hoteliers fear that repeat congestion could dent Cyprus’ reputation just as airlines add new long-haul fuel-stop services to Larnaca. The transport ministry said it is studying a dedicated access flyover but gave no timeline for delivery.
The congestion stems from an ongoing construction project that has closed the original arrivals roadway until mid-2027. While the works aim to expand kerbside capacity by 30 per cent, the interim layout funnels all private cars into a single lane, creating a bottleneck during peak wave arrivals from London, Athens and Tel Aviv.
Hermes said it is accelerating signage upgrades and will roll out a pre-booking system for short-stay pick-ups next month. Ride-hailing and limousine operators welcomed the move but urged authorities to synchronise the system with flight-tracking data to prevent fines when aircraft land early.
While transport logistics are one headache, entry formalities can be another. Visitors who still need to confirm their Cyprus visa status can save time by using VisaHQ’s online processing service (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/), which streamlines applications and keeps travellers updated on requirements—useful peace of mind when airport delays are already cutting into schedules.
For business travellers, the episode is a reminder to build extra transfer time into itineraries. Corporate travel managers may wish to shift VIP collections to the less-affected departures forecourt, accessible via the multi-storey car park, or to consider helicopter shuttles from nearby private terminals for high-value executives.
Local hoteliers fear that repeat congestion could dent Cyprus’ reputation just as airlines add new long-haul fuel-stop services to Larnaca. The transport ministry said it is studying a dedicated access flyover but gave no timeline for delivery.
