Cyprus Airways
Encyclopedia
Cyprus Airways is the national
airline
of Cyprus
, a public limited company with its head offices located in the capital of the island, Nicosia
. It operates scheduled services to 41 destinations in Europe
, the Middle East
and the Gulf
. It flies from both airports of the island, Larnaca
and Paphos
, with the former serving as a hub. The airline also operates fifth freedom flights from Thessaloniki
to Paris
. The airline celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2007.
, and private interests. Operations commenced on 18 April 1948 with three Douglas DC-3
aircraft.The planes, which carried 21 passengers each, flew on a route network centered in Nicosia that soon included Rome, London (via Athens), Beirut, Athens, Cairo, Istanbul, and Haifa. During the next three years the airline purchased an additional three DC-3 aircraft and introduced new services to Alexandria
, Amman
, Bahrain
, Khartoum
(via Haifa) and Lydda
.
In 1952, BEA took over service to London with an Airspeed Ambassador
, which featured Cabin pressurisation that allowed nonstop routing avoiding a stopover in Athens. On 18 April 1953, BEA commenced using its newly delivered Vickers Viscount 701
on their scheduled service from London to Rome and Athens. The continuing sector from Athens to Nicosia was operated by BEA under charter to Cyprus Airways. This route from London to Nicosia was the world's first regular turboprop service.
In 1956, contemplating expansion of its routes, the company ordered two Vickers Viscount
756 aircraft that would be named St Hilarion (registration G-APCD) and Buffavento
(G-APCE), but eventually it decided to sell them before receiving them because of the uncertain political situation in Cyprus. It also decided to sell all the Douglas DC-3 and Auster
aircraft in September 1957 and enter into a five-year agreement with BEA for the latter to operate services on behalf of Cyprus Airways.
BEA took over the operation of all Cyprus Airways services effective 26 January 1958 by special arrangement.
Cyprus Airways still relied on the U.K. airline for aircraft. BEA began introducing Comet 4B jets on all routes in 1961 via a joint aircraft pool arrangement that included Greece's Olympic Airways.
On 5 April 1960, BEA introduced de Havilland Comet
4B aircraft on the Nicosia
, Athens
, Rome
, and London
routes. Cyprus Airways with the introduction of the Comets became the first airline in the middle east to have jet airplanes. The Comets flew in the BEA livery, but had the Cyprus Airways logo and title affixed above their doors.
In 1965, Cyprus began leasing its own Viscounts from BEA for regional routes. Around this time, a winged mountain goat, the flying mouflon, was adopted for the airline's logo.
The Comet and Viscount aircraft were replaced with five Trident jets three of them acquired from BEA. The first Hawker Siddeley Trident
jet was introduced in September 1969. Cyprus also leased a BAC 1-11. The faster planes allowed more European trade centres (Frankfurt, Manchester, Brussels, and Paris) to be added to the timetable.
in 1974, the attack on Nicosia airport caught all five of Cyprus Airways aircraft on the ground. Of the four Tridents stranded at Nicosia International Airport
., one was destroyed by Turkish Air force rocket fire and wreckage of its tail still exists at that airport and one was damaged by small arms fire remaining in the same position today as it did in 1974 slowly decaying. The two other Tridents were only lightly damaged by small arms fire and were flown out of Nicosia by British Airways engineers to the United Kingdom in 1977. One of these is now on display at the Imperial War Museum Duxford
, England, although it has been returned to its original BEA livery. Also flown out was the company's BAC1-11 which was claimed by the insurers of the lessor, Court-Line, which had gone bankrupt. That aircraft returned to Cyprus Airways in 1978 and served with the company until 1995.
All of the Cypriot airline's operations had to be suspended following the end of the hostilities in 1974 because the Nicosia International Airport, the only airport of the island, had to be closed. Although the Turkish troops had failed to capture it, they were close enough to it to demand that it not be reopened. The government of Cyprus then moved quickly to build a small terminal by a runway in Larnaca
and Cyprus Airways restarted limited operations from there on 8 February 1975.The airline leased Viscount turboprops to fly a stripped down route network to a few key cities in the region: Beirut, Tel Aviv, and Athens via Heraklion, with connections to London on British Airways. Cyprus Airways leased a pair of DC-9 jets in August 1975 to resume its own flights to London (via Salonika). The acquisition of a DC-8 several months later allowed for non-stop service. Cyprus also added flights to Saudi Arabia at this time. The company was soon able to order a pair of new BAC 1-11s, added to the sister aircraft already in the fleet.The economic loss of the Turkish invasion to the airline was estimated to be 1.6 million Cypriot pounds.The airline to survive decided to reduce the salaries of all its employees to minimum who proudly accepted it.
The airline ordered still more different aircraft types in the late 1970s which replaced some earlier aircraft coming off lease.
Cyprus made a transition to Airbus aircraft over the course of the decade. Its first A310 widebodies arrived in 1984, followed by A320s in 1989. The order for the eight A320s was worth more than DEM
250 million.
Cyprus Airways was one of the first airlines to operate the Airbus A310
, the eighth airline in the world to receive the Airbus A320
, and the first airline that launched the IAE V2500 engine along with Adria Airways
.
Profits reached record levels in the mid-1980s as the airline added service from new U.K. cities (Cardiff, Newcastle, and Glasgow). Income of CYP 4.8 million (DEM
8 million) in 1983, a record, would be tripled three years later. By this time, the airline was carrying 740,000 passengers a year.
In 1992 the group established Eurocypria Airlines Ltd. to fly European tourists to Cyprus on a charter basis. It was expanding into ancillary services as well, taking over duty-free operations at Larnaca and Pafos airports.
Cyprus added many new cooperation agreements with other airlines as it developed its international reach by linking Europe and the Middle East. Its partners included KLM and Saudia. By the mid-1990s, more than one million passengers were flying Cyprus Airways every year; another 4,000 chose the charter operation Eurocypria. The airline's market share approached 40 percent. After a rough couple of years, the company posted a CYP 13 million profit in 1994 thanks to cost-cutting and marketing efforts.
In 2002, the Cypriot government lowered its ownership stake to 69.62 percent.
Cyprus Airways founded Hellas Jet
in Athens (Greece) in 2003, never making a profit. It held a 75% share of that carrier until all of the shares were sold to Air Miles (charter broker) Air Miles in 2005.
In 2006, the government of Cyprus bought Eurocypria because Cyprus Airways started facing severe financial problems.
According to the airline's 2010 financial results the operating loss for 2010 was €4,9 million in comparison to a loss of €5,4 million in 2009. On 28 June 2011 Cyprus Airways issued a profits warning to the Cyprus Stock Exchange, attributing this to "the continuing financial crisis and to the further significant increase in fuel prices."
On 31 August 2011 Cyprus Airways issued its results for the first half of 2011 which showed a loss of €29,3 million in comparison to a loss of €25,5 million for the respective period of 2010, recording an increase of €3,8 million.
. The Cypriot market will be able to travel to Boston
, New York
and Los Angeles
on behalf of Virgin, with connecting flights at London Heathrow Airport
. Passengers will fly from Cyprus to London, and then from London to the new American destinatons on Virgin. Virgin will also code-share flights between London and Larnaca on behalf of Cyprus Airways.
Cyprus Airways is owned by the government of Cyprus (69.62%) and private shareholders (30.38%) and has 1,210 employees (October 2010).
Cyprus Airways serves 41 destinations in 15 countries in two continents. As a part of the code-share agreement between Cyprus Airways and Olympic Air
, Cyprus Airways shares the routes to some of the Greek island with Olympic Air.
All of Cyprus Airways aircraft bear names of important persons from the island's ancient history, Greek mythology, or cities either modern or ancient.
On September 1, 2011, Cyprus Airways announced they would be returning both their A330 aircraft to the lessor in December 2011 and January 2012 consecutively to reduced losses. They will be replaced by two leased A321-200 aircraft, arriving in the fleet in April and May 2012.
, a type of sheep only found in Cyprus. This logo is also painted on the engines of the aircraft.
who was a symbol of harmony, order, and reason. Apollo class has wide leather seats that recline by up to 45 in (110 cm) of pitch and feature electrical recline and leg rest. Apollo class passengers also have access to the Sunjet executive lounges at both Larnaca and Paphos airports.
The Business Class of Cyprus Airways includes a personal entertainment system, built into the armrest of the high standard seats. Additionally, meals are served to business class passengers, with a selection of international and Cypriot cuisine on offer. Moreover, there is an array of drinks and selected wines on offer on all flights.
who according to Greek mythology, was born of the shores of paphos
on the island of Cyprus and was a symbol of beauty, elegance, sex and love. Cyprus Airways' Aphrodite (economy) Class offers a seat pitch of 30-31 inches on short-haul aircraft and 31-32 inches on the long-haul Airbus A330.
Depending on the destination and time you are flying, a hot breakfast, lunch or cold snack is served. The tray includes a seasonal salad and dessert, as well as crackers and cheese. A selection of complimentary drinks, including coffee or tea and soft drinks will also be offered.
Cyprus Airways was also awarded the 'IATA Best In-flight Programming for a European airline' award.
broke up in midair on a flight between Athens and Nicosia most likely as a result of the detonation of an explosive device, with the loss of 66 lives. The de Havilland Comet
was owned and operated by British European Airways
(BEA) although cabin staff were Cyprus Airways employees.
Flag carrier
A flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, a public limited company with its head offices located in the capital of the island, Nicosia
Nicosia
Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line...
. It operates scheduled services to 41 destinations in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and the Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
. It flies from both airports of the island, Larnaca
Larnaca International Airport
Larnaca International Airport is an international airport located southwest of Larnaca, Cyprus. Larnaca International Airport is Cyprus' main international gateway and the larger of the country's two commercial airports, the other being Paphos International Airport on the island's southwestern...
and Paphos
Paphos International Airport
-Public transport:A bus serviceis available from the airport to Karavella station in Paphos where one may change bus to other destinations in the island. Information regarding these buses is available at .-External links:*...
, with the former serving as a hub. The airline also operates fifth freedom flights from Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. The airline celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2007.
Early Years
The airline was established on 24 September 1947 as a joint venture between the colonial government of Cyprus, BEA (British European Airways)British European Airways
British European Airways or British European Airways Corporation was a British airline which existed from 1946 until 1974. The airline operated European and North African routes from airports around the United Kingdom...
, and private interests. Operations commenced on 18 April 1948 with three Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
aircraft.The planes, which carried 21 passengers each, flew on a route network centered in Nicosia that soon included Rome, London (via Athens), Beirut, Athens, Cairo, Istanbul, and Haifa. During the next three years the airline purchased an additional three DC-3 aircraft and introduced new services to Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
, Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
(via Haifa) and Lydda
Lod
Lod is a city located on the Sharon Plain southeast of Tel Aviv in the Center District of Israel. At the end of 2010, it had a population of 70,000, roughly 75 percent Jewish and 25 percent Arab.The name is derived from the Biblical city of Lod...
.
In 1952, BEA took over service to London with an Airspeed Ambassador
Airspeed Ambassador
The Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador was a British twin piston engined airliner that first flew on 10 July 1947 and served in small numbers through the 1950s and 1960s.-Design and development:...
, which featured Cabin pressurisation that allowed nonstop routing avoiding a stopover in Athens. On 18 April 1953, BEA commenced using its newly delivered Vickers Viscount 701
Vickers Viscount
The Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
on their scheduled service from London to Rome and Athens. The continuing sector from Athens to Nicosia was operated by BEA under charter to Cyprus Airways. This route from London to Nicosia was the world's first regular turboprop service.
In 1956, contemplating expansion of its routes, the company ordered two Vickers Viscount
Vickers Viscount
The Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
756 aircraft that would be named St Hilarion (registration G-APCD) and Buffavento
Buffavento
Buffavento Castle is located in Northern Cyprus. It means in Italian “Defier of the Winds”. The winds can reach quite high speeds in its exposed location at 950 metres above sea level....
(G-APCE), but eventually it decided to sell them before receiving them because of the uncertain political situation in Cyprus. It also decided to sell all the Douglas DC-3 and Auster
Auster
Auster Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer from 1938 to 1961.-History:The company began in 1938 at the Britannia Works, Thurmaston near Leicester, England, as Taylorcraft Aeroplanes Limited, making light observation aircraft designed by the Taylorcraft Aircraft Corporation of...
aircraft in September 1957 and enter into a five-year agreement with BEA for the latter to operate services on behalf of Cyprus Airways.
BEA took over the operation of all Cyprus Airways services effective 26 January 1958 by special arrangement.
Independence in 1960
The government of newly independent Cyprus became the majority shareholder in 1960 with a 53.2 percent holding, while BEA's stake was reduced to 22.7 percent and private individuals held the rest. Thereafter, Cypriot nationals began to be hired and trained for the flight crews, which had previously been made up of British expatriates from BEA.Cyprus Airways still relied on the U.K. airline for aircraft. BEA began introducing Comet 4B jets on all routes in 1961 via a joint aircraft pool arrangement that included Greece's Olympic Airways.
On 5 April 1960, BEA introduced de Havilland Comet
De Havilland Comet
The de Havilland DH 106 Comet was the world's first commercial jet airliner to reach production. Developed and manufactured by de Havilland at the Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom headquarters, it first flew in 1949 and was a landmark in aeronautical design...
4B aircraft on the Nicosia
Nicosia
Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line...
, Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
routes. Cyprus Airways with the introduction of the Comets became the first airline in the middle east to have jet airplanes. The Comets flew in the BEA livery, but had the Cyprus Airways logo and title affixed above their doors.
In 1965, Cyprus began leasing its own Viscounts from BEA for regional routes. Around this time, a winged mountain goat, the flying mouflon, was adopted for the airline's logo.
The Comet and Viscount aircraft were replaced with five Trident jets three of them acquired from BEA. The first Hawker Siddeley Trident
Hawker Siddeley Trident
The Hawker Siddeley HS 121 Trident was a British short/medium-range three-engined jet airliner designed by de Havilland and built by Hawker Siddeley in the 1960s and 1970s...
jet was introduced in September 1969. Cyprus also leased a BAC 1-11. The faster planes allowed more European trade centres (Frankfurt, Manchester, Brussels, and Paris) to be added to the timetable.
1974
At the start of the Turkish invasion of CyprusTurkish invasion of Cyprus
The Turkish invasion of Cyprus, launched on 20 July 1974, was a Turkish military invasion in response to a Greek military junta backed coup in Cyprus...
in 1974, the attack on Nicosia airport caught all five of Cyprus Airways aircraft on the ground. Of the four Tridents stranded at Nicosia International Airport
Nicosia International Airport
Nicosia International Airport is a largely disused airport located to the west of the Cypriot capital city of Nicosia. It was originally the main airport for the island, but commercial activity ceased following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974...
., one was destroyed by Turkish Air force rocket fire and wreckage of its tail still exists at that airport and one was damaged by small arms fire remaining in the same position today as it did in 1974 slowly decaying. The two other Tridents were only lightly damaged by small arms fire and were flown out of Nicosia by British Airways engineers to the United Kingdom in 1977. One of these is now on display at the Imperial War Museum Duxford
Imperial War Museum Duxford
Imperial War Museum Duxford is a branch of the Imperial War Museum near the village of Duxford in Cambridgeshire, England. Britain's largest aviation museum, Duxford houses the museum's large exhibits, including nearly 200 aircraft, military vehicles, artillery and minor naval vessels in seven...
, England, although it has been returned to its original BEA livery. Also flown out was the company's BAC1-11 which was claimed by the insurers of the lessor, Court-Line, which had gone bankrupt. That aircraft returned to Cyprus Airways in 1978 and served with the company until 1995.
All of the Cypriot airline's operations had to be suspended following the end of the hostilities in 1974 because the Nicosia International Airport, the only airport of the island, had to be closed. Although the Turkish troops had failed to capture it, they were close enough to it to demand that it not be reopened. The government of Cyprus then moved quickly to build a small terminal by a runway in Larnaca
Larnaca
Larnaca, is the third largest city on the southern coast of Cyprus after Nicosia and Limassol. It has a population of 72,000 and is the island's second largest commercial port and an important tourist resort...
and Cyprus Airways restarted limited operations from there on 8 February 1975.The airline leased Viscount turboprops to fly a stripped down route network to a few key cities in the region: Beirut, Tel Aviv, and Athens via Heraklion, with connections to London on British Airways. Cyprus Airways leased a pair of DC-9 jets in August 1975 to resume its own flights to London (via Salonika). The acquisition of a DC-8 several months later allowed for non-stop service. Cyprus also added flights to Saudi Arabia at this time. The company was soon able to order a pair of new BAC 1-11s, added to the sister aircraft already in the fleet.The economic loss of the Turkish invasion to the airline was estimated to be 1.6 million Cypriot pounds.The airline to survive decided to reduce the salaries of all its employees to minimum who proudly accepted it.
The airline ordered still more different aircraft types in the late 1970s which replaced some earlier aircraft coming off lease.
Expansion in the 1980s
By 1981, Cyprus's fleet included four Boeing 707-123B (1979–1989) and three BAC One-Eleven 500. The route network again extended from Manchester, England, to Baghdad. A change in ownership structure had taken place, with British Airways selling all but 5 percent of the shares it had inherited from BEA to the Cypriot government. Private investors owned the remainder (24.14 percent).Cyprus made a transition to Airbus aircraft over the course of the decade. Its first A310 widebodies arrived in 1984, followed by A320s in 1989. The order for the eight A320s was worth more than DEM
DEM
- Codes :* DEM, the ISO 4217 code for Deutsche Mark, the former currency of Germany- Computing :* Digital elevation model, a digital representation of ground surface topography or terrain** .dem, a common extension for USGS DEM files...
250 million.
Cyprus Airways was one of the first airlines to operate the Airbus A310
Airbus A310
The Airbus A310 is a medium- to long-range twin-engine widebody jet airliner. Launched in July 1978, it was the second aircraft created by Airbus Industrie,a consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. the consortium of...
, the eighth airline in the world to receive the Airbus A320
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
, and the first airline that launched the IAE V2500 engine along with Adria Airways
Adria Airways
Adria Airways d.d. is the Slovenian national airline. Today, the majority of Adria Airways business is in scheduled flights. Adria operates to 16 cities throughout Europe this winter and offers excellent connections to South East Europe. It is a Star Alliance member since 2004 and a Lufthansa...
.
Profits reached record levels in the mid-1980s as the airline added service from new U.K. cities (Cardiff, Newcastle, and Glasgow). Income of CYP 4.8 million (DEM
DEM
- Codes :* DEM, the ISO 4217 code for Deutsche Mark, the former currency of Germany- Computing :* Digital elevation model, a digital representation of ground surface topography or terrain** .dem, a common extension for USGS DEM files...
8 million) in 1983, a record, would be tripled three years later. By this time, the airline was carrying 740,000 passengers a year.
1990s
British Airways divested the last of its shares in 1991, leaving the government with an 80.46 percent stake and private investors, the remainder. The airline was flying high, introducing a livery and uniforms as the Airbuses plied new routes to Berlin and Helsinki. Cyprus Airways had also joined the SABRE international computer reservations system and set up a tour operation in the United Kingdom.In 1992 the group established Eurocypria Airlines Ltd. to fly European tourists to Cyprus on a charter basis. It was expanding into ancillary services as well, taking over duty-free operations at Larnaca and Pafos airports.
Cyprus added many new cooperation agreements with other airlines as it developed its international reach by linking Europe and the Middle East. Its partners included KLM and Saudia. By the mid-1990s, more than one million passengers were flying Cyprus Airways every year; another 4,000 chose the charter operation Eurocypria. The airline's market share approached 40 percent. After a rough couple of years, the company posted a CYP 13 million profit in 1994 thanks to cost-cutting and marketing efforts.
New Millennium
The airline introduced a restyled livery, as it embarked on an ambitious fleet renewal programme. Two new Airbus A319s, smaller than its other aircraft, were added in 2002. The next year, two new Airbus A330s replaced the older A310s on long-haul routes. A fleet of four Boeing 737s was chosen for the Eurocypria charter subsidiary, however, with two further similar aircraft added in 2004 and 2005. A feature of the new Eurocypria aircraft was that each had a different colour on its tail. In the meantime, the A320s owned by Cyprus Airways but leased to Eurocypria were returned to the parent company.In 2002, the Cypriot government lowered its ownership stake to 69.62 percent.
Cyprus Airways founded Hellas Jet
Hellas Jet
Hellas Jet was a charter airline based in Athens, Greece, operating services to Greece from destinations in Europe. Its main base was Athens International Airport. Hellas Jet was a licenced scheduled and charter carrier, holding a JAA AOC and a Line Maintenance Certificate under JAA/EASA Part 145,...
in Athens (Greece) in 2003, never making a profit. It held a 75% share of that carrier until all of the shares were sold to Air Miles (charter broker) Air Miles in 2005.
In 2006, the government of Cyprus bought Eurocypria because Cyprus Airways started facing severe financial problems.
According to the airline's 2010 financial results the operating loss for 2010 was €4,9 million in comparison to a loss of €5,4 million in 2009. On 28 June 2011 Cyprus Airways issued a profits warning to the Cyprus Stock Exchange, attributing this to "the continuing financial crisis and to the further significant increase in fuel prices."
On 31 August 2011 Cyprus Airways issued its results for the first half of 2011 which showed a loss of €29,3 million in comparison to a loss of €25,5 million for the respective period of 2010, recording an increase of €3,8 million.
Code-share agreement with Virgin Atlantic
As of July 25, Cyprus Airways has signed a code-share agreement with Virgin Atlantic AirwaysVirgin Atlantic Airways
Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited is a British airline owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Singapore Airlines...
. The Cypriot market will be able to travel to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
on behalf of Virgin, with connecting flights at London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
. Passengers will fly from Cyprus to London, and then from London to the new American destinatons on Virgin. Virgin will also code-share flights between London and Larnaca on behalf of Cyprus Airways.
Present
Destinations
Olympic Air
Olympic Air is the largest Greek airline by destinations served, formed from the privatisation of the former national carrier Olympic Airlines. Olympic Air commenced limited operations on 29 September 2009, after Olympic Airlines ceased all operations, with the official full-scale opening of the...
, Cyprus Airways shares the routes to some of the Greek island with Olympic Air.
Codeshare agreements
Cyprus Airways has codeshare agreements with the following airlines:- AeroflotAeroflotOJSC AeroflotRussian Airlines , commonly known as Aeroflot , is the flag carrier and largest airline of the Russian Federation, based on passengers carried per year...
(SkyTeamSkyTeamSkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands...
) - AlitaliaAlitaliaAlitalia - Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. , in its later stages known as Alitalia - Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. in Extraordinary Administration, was the former Italian flag carrier...
(SkyTeamSkyTeamSkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands...
) - Etihad AirwaysEtihad AirwaysEtihad Airways is the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates. Established in July 2003 and based at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Etihad commenced operations in November 2003....
- Gulf AirGulf AirGulf Air is the principal flag carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Headquartered in Muharraq, adjacent to Bahrain International Airport, the airline operates scheduled services to 45 destinations in 28 countries across Africa, Asia and Europe. Its main base is Bahrain International Airport...
- KLM (SkyTeamSkyTeamSkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands...
) - Olympic AirOlympic AirOlympic Air is the largest Greek airline by destinations served, formed from the privatisation of the former national carrier Olympic Airlines. Olympic Air commenced limited operations on 29 September 2009, after Olympic Airlines ceased all operations, with the official full-scale opening of the...
- Syrian AirSyrian AirSyrian Arab Airlines , operating as Syrian Air , is the flag carrier airline of Syria. It operates scheduled international services to over 40 destinations in Asia, Europe and North Africa, as well as domestic services. Its main base is Damascus International Airport. Syrian Air has a fleet of...
- TAROMTAROMS.C. Compania Națională de Transporturi Aeriene Române TAROM S.A., doing business as TAROM Romanian Air Transport, is the flag carrier and oldest currently operating airline of Romania. The brand name is an acronym for...
(SkyTeamSkyTeamSkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands...
) - Virgin Atlantic
Fleet
As of July 2011, the Cyprus Airways fleet consists of the following aircraft with an average age of 7.9 years:| Aircraft | In Service | On Order | Passengers | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | Y | Total | ||||
| Airbus A319-100 Airbus A320 family The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001... |
4 | 0 |align=center|12 |
114 | 126 | 1 leased from Agrind Lease Ltd 2 leased from ILFC |
|
| Airbus A320-200 Airbus A320 family The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001... |
6 1 |
0 | 20 16 |
132 146 |
152 162 |
6 leased from CIT |
| Airbus A321-200 Airbus A320 family The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001... |
0 | 2 | Unknown |
Unknown |
Unknown |
To be leased from CIT |
| Airbus A330-200 Airbus A330 The Airbus A330 is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner made by Airbus, a division of EADS. Versions of the A330 have a range of and can accommodate up to 335 passengers in a two-class layout or carry of cargo.... |
2 | 0 | 30 | 265 | 295 | Leased from ILFC - To be phased out by January 2012 |
| Total | 13 | 2 | ||||
On September 1, 2011, Cyprus Airways announced they would be returning both their A330 aircraft to the lessor in December 2011 and January 2012 consecutively to reduced losses. They will be replaced by two leased A321-200 aircraft, arriving in the fleet in April and May 2012.
Past Fleet
- 7 x Airbus A320Airbus A320 familyThe Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
(1989–2011) - This type has not been phased out from the fleet, but the original aircraft, except one, were replaced by the current new A320s. - 4 x Airbus A310Airbus A310The Airbus A310 is a medium- to long-range twin-engine widebody jet airliner. Launched in July 1978, it was the second aircraft created by Airbus Industrie,a consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. the consortium of...
(1984–2004) - 2 x Airspeed OxfordAirspeed OxfordThe Airspeed AS.10 Oxford was a twin-engine aircraft used for training British Commonwealth aircrews in navigation, radio-operating, bombing and gunnery during the Second World War.-Design and development:...
(1953–1955) - 2 x Airspeed AmbassadorAirspeed AmbassadorThe Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador was a British twin piston engined airliner that first flew on 10 July 1947 and served in small numbers through the 1950s and 1960s.-Design and development:...
- 2 x Auster AlpineAuster Alpine-See also:...
- 3 x BAC One-Eleven 500BAC One-ElevenThe British Aircraft Corporation One-Eleven, also known as the BAC-111, BAC-1-11 or BAC 1-11, was a British short-range jet airliner of the 1960s and 1970s...
- 5 x Boeing 707-123BBoeing 707The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
(1979–1989) - 4 x Boeing 720Boeing 707The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
(1976–1979) - Bristol BritanniaBristol BritanniaThe Bristol Type 175 Britannia was a British medium-to-long-range airliner built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1952 to fly across the British Empire...
253 - 1 x Canadair CL44 D4-1 FreighterCanadair CL-44The Canadair CL-44 was a Canadian turboprop airliner and cargo aircraft based on the Bristol Britannia that was developed and produced by Canadair in the late 1950s and early 1960s...
- De Havilland CometDe Havilland CometThe de Havilland DH 106 Comet was the world's first commercial jet airliner to reach production. Developed and manufactured by de Havilland at the Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom headquarters, it first flew in 1949 and was a landmark in aeronautical design...
- 6 x Douglas DC-3 DakotaC-47 SkytrainThe Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
(operated between 1947-1957 named SalamisSalamis IslandSalamis , is the largest Greek island in the Saronic Gulf, about 1 nautical mile off-coast from Piraeus and about 16 km west of Athens. The chief city, Salamina , lies in the west-facing core of the crescent on Salamis Bay, which opens into the Saronic Gulf...
, AmathusAmathusAmathus was one of the most ancient royal cities of Cyprus, on the southern coast in front of Agios Tychonas, about 24 miles west of Larnaca and 6 miles east of Limassol...
, Citium, CuriumCuriumCurium is a synthetic chemical element with the symbol Cm and atomic number 96. This radioactive transuranic element of the actinide series was named after Marie Skłodowska-Curie and her husband Pierre Curie. Curium was first intentionally produced and identified in summer 1944 by the group of...
, Alasia and PaphosPaphosPaphos , sometimes referred to as Pafos, is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. The currently inhabited city is New Paphos. It lies on the Mediterranean coast, about west of the...
) - Douglas DC-6B FreighterDouglas DC-6The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range...
- Douglas DC-8-52Douglas DC-8The Douglas DC-8 is a four-engined narrow-body passenger commercial jet airliner, manufactured from 1958 to 1972 by the Douglas Aircraft Company...
- Douglas DC-9-15
- 2 x Hawker Siddeley Trident 1EHawker Siddeley TridentThe Hawker Siddeley HS 121 Trident was a British short/medium-range three-engined jet airliner designed by de Havilland and built by Hawker Siddeley in the 1960s and 1970s...
- 3 x Hawker Siddeley Trident 2EHawker Siddeley TridentThe Hawker Siddeley HS 121 Trident was a British short/medium-range three-engined jet airliner designed by de Havilland and built by Hawker Siddeley in the 1960s and 1970s...
- Vickers Viscount 806Vickers ViscountThe Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
Livery
The airline's livery is an all white fuselage with the words 'CYPRUS AIRWAYS' in blue over the front passenger windows. The vertical stabilizer is blue with a number of yellow lines depicting a galloping Cypriot mouflonMouflon
The mouflon is a subspecies group of the wild sheep Ovis aries. Populations of Ovis aries can be partitioned into the mouflons and urials or arkars...
, a type of sheep only found in Cyprus. This logo is also painted on the engines of the aircraft.
Catering
Food and beverages served on flights from Cyprus are provided by Cyprus Airways Catering facilities in Larnaca. Meals are selected of an array of International and Cyprus tastes.In-flight entertainment
Cyprus Airways in-flight entertainment system is equipped with personal TVs (PTVs) in every seat in the Airbus A330 aircraft.In the Airbus A320 larger screens averaging for a number of passengers are placed in an even distance along the aircraft so everyone can have a clear view and the sound is provided through personal headsets given by the cabin crew. Screens have a moving-map system which provides real-time flight information such position and direction of the plane,altitude,airspeed,distance to destination, distance from origination and local time.Business Class
Business Class is named after the ancient Greek god ApolloApollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
who was a symbol of harmony, order, and reason. Apollo class has wide leather seats that recline by up to 45 in (110 cm) of pitch and feature electrical recline and leg rest. Apollo class passengers also have access to the Sunjet executive lounges at both Larnaca and Paphos airports.
The Business Class of Cyprus Airways includes a personal entertainment system, built into the armrest of the high standard seats. Additionally, meals are served to business class passengers, with a selection of international and Cypriot cuisine on offer. Moreover, there is an array of drinks and selected wines on offer on all flights.
Economy Class
Economy Class is named after the ancient Greek goddess AphroditeAphrodite
Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.Her Roman equivalent is the goddess .Historically, her cult in Greece was imported from, or influenced by, the cult of Astarte in Phoenicia....
who according to Greek mythology, was born of the shores of paphos
Paphos
Paphos , sometimes referred to as Pafos, is a coastal city in the southwest of Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos and New Paphos. The currently inhabited city is New Paphos. It lies on the Mediterranean coast, about west of the...
on the island of Cyprus and was a symbol of beauty, elegance, sex and love. Cyprus Airways' Aphrodite (economy) Class offers a seat pitch of 30-31 inches on short-haul aircraft and 31-32 inches on the long-haul Airbus A330.
Depending on the destination and time you are flying, a hot breakfast, lunch or cold snack is served. The tray includes a seasonal salad and dessert, as well as crackers and cheese. A selection of complimentary drinks, including coffee or tea and soft drinks will also be offered.
SunMiles
SunMiles is the frequent flyer programme of Cyprus Airways. There are four tiers of membership: Student, Regular, Premier, and Elite. Points are organisely credited per each one way flight on Cyprus airways. Economy class passenger gains 1 point per kiliometre and Business class passenger gains 1,5 points per kiliometre.Awards
Cyprus Airways has been awarded the ‘Commitment to Excellence in Europe’ award by the European Foundation of Quality Management (EFQM) in 2007.Incidents
In 1967, Cyprus Airways Flight 284Cyprus Airways Flight 284
Cyprus Airways Flight 284 was a de Havilland Comet that broke up during a flight to Nicosia International Airport on 12 October 1967, after an explosive device detonated in the cabin. The airliner crashed in the Mediterranean Sea and all 66 passengers and crew on board died.-Aircraft:The aircraft...
broke up in midair on a flight between Athens and Nicosia most likely as a result of the detonation of an explosive device, with the loss of 66 lives. The de Havilland Comet
De Havilland Comet
The de Havilland DH 106 Comet was the world's first commercial jet airliner to reach production. Developed and manufactured by de Havilland at the Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom headquarters, it first flew in 1949 and was a landmark in aeronautical design...
was owned and operated by British European Airways
British European Airways
British European Airways or British European Airways Corporation was a British airline which existed from 1946 until 1974. The airline operated European and North African routes from airports around the United Kingdom...
(BEA) although cabin staff were Cyprus Airways employees.