Situation at Paphos airport ‘unbearable’ local businesses say

The situation at Paphos airport is “unbearable”, Paphos district tourism development and promotion company (Etap) chairman Kyriacos Drousiotis said on Friday.

“The situation is now unbearable at Paphos airport in almost the entire range of check-ins, departures, arrivals, as well as outdoor areas for short stays,” he said.

For this reason, he called for the finalisation of agreements to upgrade the airport’s infrastructure, with the aim of “all the required extensions and upgrades being able to begin without delay.”

To this end, he said it would be better for the airport if infrastructure upgrades were carried out outside the traditional peak tourist season.

Drousiotis’ statements come after official figures revealed on Thursday showed that in contrast to Larnaca airport, Paphos airport saw the number of passengers pass through it decrease during the first eight months of the year compared to the same period last year.

The airport saw 1.1 per cent fewer passengers pass through it between January and August, while Larnaca airport saw an overall 8.5 per cent increase in its numbers over the same period.

The airport has received harsh criticism over the summer months, with passengers complaining of overcrowding and long queues, due to the limited space available at the airport.