CYPRUS AIRWAYS

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Member for

18 years 5 months

Posts: 128

Hi Members.

It has been reported in the local Cypriot papers that Cyprus Airways could shut down due to mounting debts and the airlines / unions inability to negotiate staff cuts.
This problem has been brewing for a long time with the airline being well overstaffed, it is not helped by the fact the airline only makes a profit on a few of its services, The Larnaca-Heathrow-Larnaca service being the main profit maker. Most of its middle eastern services are making losses, added to the problem is competition from Helios.
Rumours are that the Cypriot Government may well let the airline close and then re-open again after re-organising its finances.
It has also been metioned that Cyprus Airways could also be merged with Euro Cypria to form one airline.

will keep you posted.

Regards

Nordjet415

Original post

Member for

19 years 5 months

Posts: 1,887

The Larnaca-Heathrow-Larnaca service being the main profit maker.

Guess who also flies that route - Helios ;) (and BA)

Helios seem to have a good strategy when selecting their scheduled routes

Member for

18 years 5 months

Posts: 128

re cyprus airways

Agree, it seems that competition is strong on this route, not to mention the amount of charter flights to and from Cyprus by the British Tour operators,
Lets hope they survive.

Member for

20 years 5 months

Posts: 10,625

Are Helios still flying?

Member for

20 years 10 months

Posts: 9,401

Indeed they are, i'm surprised at how well they appear to be doing after the tragic events in the summer. They seem to be in the process of changing their livery, would imagine a good move after the tail logo was broadcast round the world after the crash.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/971972/L/

Member for

18 years 5 months

Posts: 128

re cyprus airways

Yes, Helios still fly despite the poor publicity with the disaster earlier in the year

Member for

20 years 5 months

Posts: 10,625

Thats good to hear. I'm reliably informed that they are a friendly airline with good service.
Would be a shame if they went bust.

back on topic, lets hope Cyprus Airways can pull themselve out of this mess.

Member for

18 years 9 months

Posts: 1,614

Whenever anyone mentions Cyprus Airways I can't help but think of Maria from 'Airport' and the inevitable disaster on every flight

Member for

20 years 10 months

Posts: 9,401

Ahhh... Maria... she wasn't a bad looking gal ;).

Member for

18 years 7 months

Posts: 5,530

Whenever anyone mentions Cyprus Airways I can't help but think of Maria from 'Airport' and the inevitable disaster on every flight

Whenever I hear or read the name 'Maria' I can't help but think if the Little Britain sketch.

"Who's maria?" ... "Yeh I know!"

Sorry. Utterly pointless addition to this thread but I couldn't help it!

Paul

Member for

20 years 5 months

Posts: 10,625

Whenever I hear or read the name 'Maria' I can't help but think if the Little Britain sketch.

"Who's maria?" ... "Yeh I know!"

Sorry. Utterly pointless addition to this thread but I couldn't help it!

Paul


I dunno.... it was funny. Thats gotta count for something ;)

Member for

19 years 5 months

Posts: 1,887

Yes, Helios still fly despite the poor publicity with the disaster earlier in the year

Although they axed Prague-Athens-Larnaca, the route the plane that crashed was flying. Their network is now focused mainly on UK-Cyprus and there is a lot of scheduled flying, with less charter flights than in the past

PS - Helios will fly DSA-Larnaca next summer for Thomas Cook

Member for

19 years 8 months

Posts: 454

I may be the odd one out here, but I actually think it may be beneficial for the airline to collapse and then reform. I mean, they have too many a/c, too many staff and not a hope in hell of getting rid of any of them. Most of the routes they operate make a loss, but they can't stop operating them becuase if they did they'd have even more surplus staff and a/c. The unions won't even take a pay cut let alone full blown job losses. When I went through arrivals at LCA a few months back, there were at least 10 cabin crew in uniform standing round handing out promotional leaflets, most of which ended up on the floor or in the bin. Thats 10 cabin crew being paid to do ****** all! This is there problem, with the unions involved it's just going to keep getting worse. But if the government prepared for a collapse, got some extra funds together etc., and the airline did collapse, Cyprus could have it's own airline flying again within months AND it would be profitable! If it collpases it's completely free of baggage. They can cherry pick the a/c and profitable parts of the business, hire only the staff they need, pre-plan a good efficent route network and be flying again in no time at all. The debt of the old company would have to be transferred to the new company, but as long as they make a healthy profit on their routes then they should be able to gradually repay them. In fact, they could just sell Eurocypria, which is worth a bit, and write off a large chunk of it there and then. How does that sound? Am I alone in thinking this, or does anyone agree.

Member for

19 years 5 months

Posts: 1,887

Its not such a stupid idea. It can work. Look at Chapter 11 in the US. Continental, for example went bankrupt inthe 1990's, went into Chapter 11 and then came out and look at them now. Probably the US 'Legacy' Airline with the best financial position at the moment

Another example, not aviation related could be Railtrack. Since they went into administration and where replaced by Network Rail, the railway infrastructure has been managed and maintained a lot better

Member for

20 years 5 months

Posts: 5,019

Ahhh... Maria... she wasn't a bad looking gal ;).

guess whose got a one tracked mind :) i never knew BA flew to LCA...didnt see 'em or thier checkin desks or anyy ads while i was there

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 4,213

Thats good to hear. I'm reliably informed that they are a friendly airline with good service.
Would be a shame if they went bust.

back on topic, lets hope Cyprus Airways can pull themselve out of this mess.

Friends travelled with them on a DUB to Paphos Charter in Summer of 2004 and both ways the aircraft was very dirty, the toilets were broken, the cabin smelt of affluence, the food was party cold (this was for a cooked dinner service), they were not given any drinks and told to pay for them (but drinks were supposedly included when purchasing meal option and they were late by 4 hours on outbound and 2 hours in return inbound. It wasnt even the same plane each way!

Member for

19 years 8 months

Posts: 454

Friends travelled with them on a DUB to Paphos Charter in Summer of 2004 and both ways the aircraft was very dirty, the toilets were broken, the cabin smelt of affluence, the food was party cold (this was for a cooked dinner service), they were not given any drinks and told to pay for them (but drinks were supposedly included when purchasing meal option and they were late by 4 hours on outbound and 2 hours in return inbound. It wasnt even the same plane each way!

This is very strange, they are usually have very clean a/c and the punctuality and service is impeccable. I'm guessing this was some of their surplus a/c which they just chartered out to get the money and didn't bother to pay for maintenance on the basis it was being used by someone else and wasent their problem. still odd though