North airport passenger numbers up by a quarter

The number of passengers travelling to and from the north’s Ercan (Tymbou) airport increased by over 25 per cent in the first seven months of 2024, compared to the same period last year.

According to figures released by the airport’s holding company T&T, a total of 2,608,007 people either arrived at or departed from the airport between January and July this year, up from 2,071,874 people in the same period in 2023.

This July saw a 16 per cent increase in passengers passing through the airport, with a total of 426,050 people arriving at or departing from Ercan (Tymbou) during July this year, up from 367,393 in July this year.

The statistics come as the Republic’s transport ministry announced a 1.45 per cent increase in passenger footfall at the airports in Larnaca and Paphos in July.

In total, 1,496,715 passengers arrived at or departed from Larnaca and Paphos airports last month.

The year-on-year increase at Ercan (Tymbou) was mainly fuelled by stark increases during months which historically saw fewer flights and passengers, with a 57 per cent increase in passenger numbers in February, and every month aside from January seeing between 300,000 and 400,000 passengers pass through the airport.

This has been aided by the new terminal, which opened in July last year, and the new runway, which is 3,000 metres long.

The runway’s length allows for larger aircraft to take off from and land at the airport, thus increasing the number of passengers passing through.