By Jean Christou
THE CABINET yesterday gave its full backing to a proposal by the Communications and Works Minister to extend air deregulation if Cyprus Airways (CY) pilots continue their industrial action.
On Wednesday, the Ministry announced that the skies over Cyprus would be deregulated for as long as the pilots’ strike continued.
The strike, over promotions, is due to end at midnight tonight.
Speaking after the cabinet meeting, Minister Leondios Ierodiaconou said some “specific decisions” had been taken on CY, but that they would not be publicised for the moment.
“What I can tell you is that the Council of Ministers believes the pilots’ strike is illegal and an action which shows total indifference towards the public,” he said.
Ierodiaconou said the deregulation decision was still valid but its course would depend on the stance of the pilots.
Asked if that meant the 48-hour liberalisation decision announced on Wednesday would be made indefinite, the Minister replied: “I didn’t announce it was for 48 hours. I simply announced that there was a liberalisation of flights. Whether or not this decision is extended depends on developments,” he said.
Partial air liberalisation already exists in Cyprus, but CY’s most profitable routes — in particular London, Athens and Tel Aviv — are still protected.
Full liberalisation had not been expected to come about until Cyprus’ target date to join the EU in 2003.
Ierodiaconou said the government would still be willing to protect the three routes for a time, depending on the pilots.
“It’s our policy to protect CY’s flights, but if the pilots continue their stance, this could change,” he warned.
Vassos Pyrgos, Permanent Secretary of the Communications and Works Ministry, said yesterday that air liberalisation over a limited period would have no real effect because airlines had no time to schedule flights.
“There is now a decision in principle to extend this measure,” he said. “As of Friday night, if the pilots return to work, there will probably be no decision to extend the liberalisation.”
CY spokesman Tassos Angelis said Cyprus Airways would be in serious trouble if liberalisation went ahead.
“Staff are concerned about the future of the company and upset with the pilots for putting their livelihoods in danger,” he said.
This was obvious in the response from Costas Demetriou, president of Cynika, CY’s biggest staff union.
“We are totally against liberalisation. We will fight it,” he said. “This is a very serious issue. The government has no right to victimise 1,700 people for the sake of 100 people,” he said, referring to the members of Pasipy.
But Pasipy remained unrepentant yesterday.
“They (the government) are confused about what they are doing,” said spokesman George Charalambous.
“Let them go ahead and have no jobs. Others will be able to fly in and out as they wish, but CY can’t take advantage because we are not yet in the EU.”
Charalambous said if CY was unable to compete, there would be serious problems. “Cyprus Airways should have been ready for this. It has not done its homework,” he said.
Iacovos Papadopoulos, Director of Civil Aviation, confirmed yesterday there had been no applications for licences by foreign airlines and there were none pending from before, although he said: “in the past there was quite a bit of interest.”
British Airways (BA) manager in Cyprus, Peter Louca, said yesterday their aircraft were already full. “There is no additional capacity, he said. There is no demand to justify the extra flights.”
George Souroulas, from Amathus Navigation, the agents of Air2000, said he had no information on additional flights to Cyprus because of the strike. “Obviously an airline cannot move into new or existing markets all of a sudden,” he said.
Yiannis Kapodistrias, marketing manager of the low-cost easyJet airline owned by Greek Cypriot tycoon Stelios Haji-Ioannou, said a temporary deregulation would not be an incentive for them. “I believe their decision is not a call towards us but to the charter market,” he said.
