Three major local tour operators are furious with Cyprus Airways after it allocated 130 charter flights this summer to just one company- Royal Holidays.
They are particularly angry since the collapse of Eurocypria means there are no local alternative carriers for their clients.
Louis Tours, Top Kinisis and Let’s go Tours now say they have no other option than to look to foreign carriers. “This one-sided move is pushing away the airline’s associates and endangers sales in the Cypriot market which amount to euro55m,” the three said in joint statement.
Out of respect for their shareholders and Cypriot travellers, they planned to press ahead with negotiations with other airlines, they added. “We regret this unpleasant development which we did not seek and in which we found ourselves after being excluded from any cooperation with the national carrier. Such cooperation would have meant major benefits for Cyprus Airways and the island’s economy,” they added.
But the cash-strapped national carrier-which last month announced an agreement with Royal Holidays for charter flights to the Greek islands and other European destinations-said it was still in a position to offer charter flights to specific destinations to other tour operators.
“Following a specific request for charter flights during the summer by Royal Holidays, our company made an agreement with them to operate 130 charter flights next summer,” it added.
The airlines said it considered the deal positive, creating additional business for the summer despite the highly competitive environment, which has seen another airline aboard advertising flights from Larnaca to similar destinations this summer.
“We are not talking about all the charter flights but only 130 flights offered to Royal Holidays. We consider this agreement beneficial and in the interest of Cyprus Airways, who last summer operated 110 flights with Royal Holidays.
“We are still in a position to offer charter flights to the three tour operators and other tour operators and we have made a specific proposal to one for which we are expecting a response by February 7.” The President of the Cyprus Travel Agents Association (ACTA) Victor Mantovanis was confident the national carrier’s agreement with Royal Holidays will not affect the Cypriot travelling public.
“it is an agreement for a specific number of flights and such agreements with airlines are common practice for tour operators.
“A similar agreement was made last year and the difference is that this year it was announced.” He told.
The association has no record of Cypriots travelling abroad through the areas because it is either a cheaper way to travel or because they are finding it difficult to find flights.
“We have no such records. According to some rumours, there were a few Cypriots travelling to Istanbul through north in the past. It is mostly other nationalities living here that may travel abroad through the north.
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