The government should seriously consider founding a national air carrier, Cypriot pilots union Pasyki said on Monday.
“Following recent developments in relation to Coronavirus and the difficulties that will emerge in the economy due to tourism problems, everyone has come to realise the importance of having a credible national air carrier,” the union said in an announcement.
“This proves without a doubt the tragic mistake of politicians to shut down Cyprus Airways. It is also becoming clear that in the near future there will be issues with Cyprus’ connectivity to other countries, thus tourists will have trouble coming to our island as surviving airlines will significantly reduce their flights,” it was added.
The union said it believes that the creation of an air carrier serving the country and significantly contributing to the national GDP is necessary.
“All countries are called today to inject funds into national air carriers. The government needs to look into the possibility of creating an air carrier with the help of a scientific team.”
In the case such a decision is made, the union added, the directors and managers of such a company should not be politicians but professionals in the field to prevent past mistakes.
Cyprus Airways Ltd. was the flag carrier airline of Cyprus from 1947 until January 2015 when it closed permanently following protracted financial problems and mismanagement.
In July 2016, the start-up Charlie Airlines bought from Cyprus the rights to use the Cyprus Airways trademarks and brand for a period of ten years.
