Shin Bet suspends Israeli flights to Paphos in Cyprus, citing security concerns

Instructions reportedly sent to El Al, Arkia, and Israir airlines; flights will land at Larnaca airport instead; no travel advisory issued on visiting Paphos

The coastal city of Paphos, on the Greek side of Cyprus, September 23, 2024. (Nati Shohat/FLASH90)
The coastal city of Paphos, on the Greek side of Cyprus, September 23, 2024. (Nati Shohat/FLASH90)

The Shin Bet security agency on Sunday ordered the suspension of Israeli commercial flights to Paphos in Cyprus, citing security concerns.

Cypriot officials confirmed the suspension of Israeli flights to the airport, a terminal catering mainly to charter traffic on the western coast of Cyprus.

Flights will instead land at Larnaca airport and from there, travelers can make their way to Paphos.

The Shin Bet said in a statement that “the decision to concentrate flights to and from Cyprus to the Larnaca airfield is based on various security considerations.”

There was no travel ban or advisory for Paphos itself, a popular summer vacation destination for Israelis that has a Chabad house.

The suspension instruction was issued to Israel’s national carrier El Al as well as charter services Arkia and Israir.

“The Republic of Cyprus is aware of the change in scheduling, for security reasons, of Israeli companies from and to Paphos airport. This happened some days ago,” a Cypriot official told Reuters.

“Flights (from Israel) are continuing normally to Larnaca,” the official added, referring to Cyprus’s largest international airport.

Paphos is the smaller of Cyprus’s two airports and abuts a military base slated for an upgrade by the US.

According to its winter flight schedule available online, there are up to 10 flights a week from Tel Aviv and seven flights a week from Haifa.

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