Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos reiterated on Wednesday that from March 21, all incoming passenger flights to Cypriot airports will be banned.
There will be no exception for any country in a decree to be issued soon, the minister said in a tweet.
“From 21/03 onwards a ban on flights to the airports of the Republic of Cyprus enters into force. A decree will follow, according to which there will be no exception for any country, since this is a universal ban. Exceptions apply only for cases that have been already announced.”
The exceptions already announced include cargo flights.
Karousos announced later that about 600 people had received the necessary paperwork for their repatriation.
Cypriot citizens in Britain and Greece made up the majority of the people making efforts to return home.
“We are living in unprecedented times and we must make difficult decisions, but they are necessary to defeat the invisible enemy,” he said.
Asked whether the government will charter flights to repatriate citizens abroad, Karousos said that: “We are receiving information from the foreign ministry about people who may be exempt from the ban.
“We have been in contact with several airlines so that, if and when needed, we can charter some return flights,” he said.
“This concerns people who may have gone abroad from health reasons, for a few days’ holidays, business reasons and have been excluded, they are our priority persons.”
He said that they were being cross-checked with embassies abroad to make sure the people have received certificates.
On Tuesday evening Health Minister Constantinos Ioannou announced that Cyprus would ban flights for two weeks, starting this Saturday.
Some 23 flights arrived on Wednesday in Paphos airport while 26 departed. Most of them were UK ‘ferry flights’ to take people home but also some from Greece, Ukraine, Romania and Israel.
Most of the flights were empty with just six people on a flight from Liverpool. All had the required certificate to enter. So far, 829 people departed, mostly for the UK.
Some 24 flights departed from Larnaca airport while eight flights arrived including two from Athens and four from London. Three were empty flights to carry foreign nationals back to their countries. A Qatar Airways flight landed in the morning carrying 15 passengers – 10 Cypriots, a Briton, two Russians and two Bulgarians.
They were all allowed entry after displaying the necessary papers. Two of the Cypriots were shipping ministry officials.
An Olympic airlines flight carrying two passengers also arrived.
All 17 passengers will be quarantined.
On Thursday, Larnaca expects 11 flights, six of them will not include any passengers.
EasyJet announced it was working on a rescue flight for stranded passengers.
Blue Air announced Wednesday that following a decree issued by the President of Romania, declaring state of emergency until April 20 (included), it will have to suspend the operation of its scheduled flights throughout the duration.
As a result, Blue Air cancelled all flights to and from Larnaca between March 18 and April 30.
Transport Ministry permanent secretary Stavros Michail, who is overseeing the processing, said it was a difficult time for Cypriot society and “we must convey people the message that the state is doing everything it can to overcome this invisible enemy.”
“All the state services are working around the clock so that we succeed because we must emerge victorious from this battle against the coronavirus.”
