Are flights to Cyprus cancelled? EasyJet issues latest update - as Paphos Airport evacuated
Paphos International Airport has been evacuated on Monday (2 March) in response to reports of a potential drone threat.
The airport in Cyprus was evacuated on Monday afternoon after an unidentified drone was detected inside the airport’s restricted airspace. Authorities ordered an immediate and total evacuation as a precautionary measure while security teams assessed the situation.
Passengers and staff were instructed to leave the terminal building, with airport operations temporarily suspended to ensure public safety. Cyprus Mail reports that the nearby villages of Mandria, Timi, and Konia have also been evacuated.
It comes as easyJet confirmed it is cancelling return flights between the UK and two Cyprus airports after Iranian strikes hit an RAF airbase on the island. It said three return flights between the UK and the coastal airports of Paphos and Larnaca will not operate on March 2.
Flights on Tuesday, March 3, are currently scheduled to run, but the airline urged travellers to check its flight tracker. An easyJet spokesperson told the Express and Star: “Due to the events overnight affecting the RAF base in Akrotiri in Cyprus, as a precaution, three return flights between Paphos and Larnaca and the UK today will not be operating.
“Flights from 3 March are currently operating as planned but we would advise customers due to travel to and from Cyprus over the coming days to check our flight tracker for the latest information.We are doing all we can to minimise the impact for our customers and are providing options for rebooking including on other airlines or a refund as well as hotel accommodation and meals for those who require them.
“The safety of our customers and crew is our highest priority and we continue to closely monitor the security situation in the region." Cyprus confirmed that an Iranian drone crashed into a British RAF base in Akrotiri, Cyprus, on Sunday at around midnight local time (22:00 GMT). The base is located on the south of the island, with Paphos to the west and Larnaca to the east.
No casualties were reported and the base sustained "minimal damage", but the Ministry of Defence said that family members would be moved to alternative accommodation as a precautionary measure. The Foreign Office updated its travel advice following the strike stating that British nationals should follow instructions from the Sovereign Base Areas Administration or local Cypriot authorities, depending on where they reside.
