THE FIRST day of full operation at Larnaca Airport passed by with just a few minor delays.
“There were some small delays of a few minutes, but none that should create any problems,” said Adamos Aspris, the spokesman for airport operator Hermes. “We will have to see how it goes over the weekend before we can reach any conclusions, however.”
The airport is now fully operational, with all the remaining international airlines yesterday moving to the new site.
Aspris said: “At midnight November 16, the old Larnaca Airport stopped operating and as of November 17, the old Larnaca Airport passed the baton of air communications to the new Larnaca International Airport.”
He added that the old airport’s last arrivals and departures were Syrian Airlines flights to and from Damascus. The last arrival was at 10.25pm, and the last departure at 11.35pm. The last passenger to pass through the arrivals lounge was Neophytos Zinonos, from Limassol.
Aspris thanked the thousands of people who have worked at the airport for the past 35 years, and “who managed right after the Turkish invasion and in adverse conditions to keep our country in contact with the rest of the world”. The old Larnaca Airport was established in 1974 as a temporary measure, after the Turkish invasion halted operations at Nicosia airport.
“Cyprus is entering the 21st century with two sophisticated airports,” adding that ”we will do everything possible to carry out our mission successfull,” said Aspris.
Larnaca Mayor, Andreas Moiseos, also commented yesterday. “This airport was founded in difficult times for the Republic of Cyprus, and it has served tremendously.” He added that everything has an end, and that the old airport had reached its natural end.
Eighty one flights (40 departures and 41 arrivals) were scheduled for the new airport yesterday. ”We expect about 5,000 people to arrive at the new airport today and another 5,000 to depart from the new facilities of the new Larnaca Airport,” Aspris added.
At an estimated cost of €656.3 million, the new 10,000-square-metre-terminal features 67 check-in counters, 14 airline ticket desks, eight check-in kiosks, 16 air-bridges, seven security points, five aircraft baggage conveyor belts, and parking spaces for 2,450 cars, while its annual passenger capacity is 7.5 million.
