By Jean Christou
CYPRUS Airways (CY) kicked off its new fares schedule to Greece yesterday with bookings up until September 10, Chairman Takis Kyriakides said.
Kyriakides said CY offices had been flooded with calls since the airline announced its fare reductions last week. Extra staff had been recruited to handle the influx of customers, he said.
“We are all booked up until September 10.”
He said the main interest had been in the APEX night flights, which have been slashed to £79 from the regular excursion fare of £144.
However, Kyriakides said there appeared to be some confusion among the public on the concept of APEX fares, which involve booking ten days in advance. APEX tickets cannot be changed.
“This is the risk the passenger has to take to get his special fare,” Kyriakides said.
He repeated that further special offers were on the way from November 1 which would involved reduced family fares.
However, it appears the reduced fares may change during peak periods such as Christmas.
“But efforts will be made so these fares are valid throughout the year,” Kyriakides said.
He admitted the new fares policy would cost the airline dear on its most lucrative routes, but hoped the expected increase in passenger numbers, even on reduced fares, would make up the shortfall.
“And so far our hopes have been realised with the massive interest,” he said. “All seats for Athens and Salonica are full until September 10.”
CY operates daily and sometimes twice-daily flights to both destinations along with Greek national carrier Olympic Airways, which announced identical fare reductions last week.
Cyprus and Greece operate a closed bi-lateral arrangement which allows their respective national carriers a monopolistic advantage, making Greece one of CY’s three most profitable routes along with London Heathrow and Tel Aviv.
The standard return fare on the Larnaca-Athens route has been reduced from £144 to £129, while new fares introduced by both airlines include a £99 night-time fare and special morning and evening APEX fares of £89 and £79 respectively.
Travelling on the November 1 family fare on morning flights to Athens, one spouse will pay £129 and the other £65 as will children under 18. A similar deal on night flights puts prices at £99 and £50 respectively.
Special offers for students are to be decided at a later date.
The move to reduce fares was prompted by the government’s recent threat to liberalise air links between Larnaca and Athens following two crippling June strikes by pilots angry over promotions.
It is also an attempt to induce more Greeks to travel here and to help reduce fares for Cypriots.
