Paphos airport safe, govt insists, amid Israeli flight suspension

Paphos airport is safe, deputy government spokesman Yiannis Antoniou insisted on Tuesday, after Israeli airlines suspended their operations in and out of Paphos, Cyprus’ second airport. Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency, he said both Paphos and Larnaca airports are safe, and that the measures “concern airlines with Israeli interests”. Israeli intelligence agency Shin Bet had on Monday instructed flag carrier airline El Al and Arkia to not fly to Paphos “due to security reasons that cannot be made public”, with no further announcement having since been made. Antoniou had told CyBC later in the day that the Republic of Cyprus had been “aware of the development” over the past few days, and that flights between Israel and Larnaca airport had been continuing as normal. However, the civil aviation department on Monday morning denied that any safety issue had arisen at Paphos airport. “Paphos airport is operating normally despite a technical problem which recently arose,” it said, adding that the problem in question “concerned radio navigation” and had no impact on flight safety.<br/>