North Cyprus Minister of Public Works and Transportation Erhan Arıklı said that test flights will be carried out at the new airport on October 29 and 3 important flights are planned to be made to the airport on November 15. “On November 15, maybe President Recep Tayip Erdoğan will land there, maybe Russian planes will land there. We have come to the final preparations to establish our own national airline and we are waiting for our airline’s planes to land on the runway. I hope it will be all three.”
Emphasizing that there is no legal obstacle for the Russian plane to land at Ercan Airport, Arıklı pointed out that the flight can be carried out from Moscow.
“TWO AIRLINES FROM RUSSIA ARE IN NEGOTIATIONS”
Stating that the previously good relations between Southern Cyprus and Russia have been strained after the lifting of the US arms embargo on the Greek Cypriot Administration, Arıklı emphasized that the landing of Russian planes in the TRNC will contain an important message from a political point of view.
Stating that there will be no obstacle in the realization of flights to Ercan Airport with the provision of political will, Arıklı said that flights to Russia will have a significant positive impact on the economy of the TRNC.
Arıklı, who announced that two airline companies from Russia were in discussion, pointed out that the coming year will be productive in terms of tourism of the TRNC with the realization of direct flights from Moscow.
Pointing out the high cost of air ticket prices, Arıklı said, “Flight ticket prices are very expensive. Many citizens living in the TRNC prefer to go from the South when going to Europe. The lack of direct flights comes at a cost at this point,” he said, adding: “Ercan Airport can be taken to the status of Turkey’s domestic airlines, and there must be political will for this.”
“WE WILL HAVE A FLEET OF 5 AIRCRAFT NAMED MAVI GIRNE AIRLINES”
Stating that an important stage has been reached in the establishment of the national airline company and that it is almost completed, Arıklı also announced the name of the airline company. Minister Arıklı said, “The name of our new airline will be ‘MAVI GIRNE AIRLINES‘. We’re trying to get it started by November 15 and there doesn’t seem to be a setback. It will start with 5 aircraft and then we aim to grow further.”
