Hermes Airports: 2023 was landmark year for our country’s air connectivity

In terms of annual passenger traffic, 2023 ended on a positive note for Cyprus’ airports, which counted more than 11.6 million passengers – an average of 32,000 passengers a day (41,000 in summer, 18,000 in winter) – in the best performance ever reported at the island’s international airports.

More specifically, 8.1 million passengers travelled to and from Larnaka airport, up 34% compared with 2022, with an average occupancy rate of 81%. Similarly, Pafos Airport saw 3.6 million passengers, up 12% from 2022, with an average occupancy rate of 89%. Throughout the year, the two airports served 52 airlines, flying to 39 countries and operating 159 routes. This significant recovery is attributed to the restoration of connectivity levels to those of 2019 for traditional markets like the United Kingdom, along with notable penetration into other markets. Specifically, for 28 markets, representing 66% of total passenger traffic, there was an increase compared to 2019, including countries like Poland, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Hungary.

The most important development, however, was the increase in winter passenger seats and the maintenance of a large part of the airline's flight schedule, with many and different options available for the public.

This winter’s flight schedule

This winter, Cyprus’ connectivity, which has been significantly boosted, has direct connections to 33 countries, with 86 routes and 28 airlines.

At present, the Cypriot airports offer direct flights to 23 European capitals, while its connectivity with major hubs such as Athens (11 daily flights), London Heathrow (two daily flights), Frankfurt (four weekly flights), Munich (one daily flight), Vienna (one to two daily flights), Amsterdam (three weekly flights), offers the public more choice of destinations with one stopover. Furthermore, the Larnaka and Pafos airports are connected with the Middle East and Gulf, while the average occupancy rate is currently at 74%, which suggests substantive demand for our country’s year-round connectivity.

Read more in Hermes Airports’ newsletter here

(Source: https://www.hermes-flightmode.com/)