CY targets civil servants in cash-saving bid

By Jean Christou

THE GRAVY plane is about to end for civil servants receiving discounts on the cash-strapped national carrier.

Some 2,000 civil servants use the privilege each year, at a cost of £40,000 to Cyprus Airways (CY), an airline spokesman said yesterday.

But CY chairman Takis Kyriakides has now written to the Communications and Works Minister asking the government to abolish a 1963 directive giving civil servants a ten per cent discount of tickets.

Such directives can only be revoked by a new directive issued by the government.

The issue is expected to be discussed today at the Ministry.

The provision initially applied in relation to flights from Cyprus to the UK, but was later extended to destinations in Europe.

In his letter, dated July 3 this year, Kyriakides points out to the Minister that it hardly appears credible for the airline to plead poverty and promise cost cutting while maintaining such outdated provisions.

He also said such privileges extended to a small group of people were out of line with EU policies.

A spokesman for CY said the discount was not used to a large extent as it did not apply during periods where special offers made to the public, “which is most of the year,” he said.

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