By Chris Elliott……..
A week ago a group of expatriate NGO’s invited by cyprusscene, went to meet with Ismet Esenyel, Undersecretary of the TRNC Ministry of Tourism and Environment to be given information and discuss the new travel arrangements which came into effect on 1st June 2017 in respect of flights to and from Ercan Airport via Turkey to the UK with Pegasus Airlines which require all passengers and their luggage to be taken off the aircraft and be re-screened before boarding an aircraft to continue their flight to the UK.
Flights from the UK to Ercan via Pegasus Airlines will follow the same procedures as flights from Ercan to the UK.
With Ismet Esenyel was Zeki Ziya – Director of Cyprus Xp Group which represents Pegasus Airlines in the TRNC and Orhan Tolun – President of Cyprus Turkish Tourism and Travel Agents Union (KITSAB) to clarify the changes in travel arrangements
Since then we have endeavoured to monitor various initiatives to seek clarification of the reasons for changes and have received many enquiries from individuals and organisations asking for more information and advice.
We would like to thank Fikri Toros, the President of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce for clarifying the situation following the visit by High Commissioner H.E. Matthew Kidd to the Chamber to meet and clarify the situation to Fikri Toros, and Mr Zeki Ziya ( CEO of Cyprus XP Travel and Pegasus’ representative in North Cyprus ) and TCCC Secretary General, Mrs Aysun İleri.
High Commissioner H.E. Matthew explained that the request to Pegasus Airlines to adopt changes in their flight arrangements was requested by the authority within the UK Department of Transport was based upon technical issues as they have no visibility of the security applied at Ercan Airport and therefore have requested re-screening of passengers and their luggage at Turkish Airports to help counter the potential threats which are enacted by terrorists.
It should be noted that Pegasus Airlines carried 1.6 million passengers to and from Northern Cyprus in 2016 and they anticipated an increase in passengers carried in 2017 but the new flight arrangements for passengers who travelled with them in the past, when they remained on board aircraft, may result in passengers now considering visiting other destinations which will have an impact on Pegasus Airlines which is the main carrier to and from the TRNC and also the future of North Cyprus Tourism.
We have travelled to and from UK for many years and the security at Ercan is 100% seems such a lovely silly idea to us.
This will have a very detrimental affect for Pegasus as people I know said they will just fly to Larnaca
Another obstical to isolate North cyprus.
Pegsus should Not accept british ruling then
I have flown with Pegasus for 10 years to Ercan. There is nothing wrong with the security. This stinks of some sort of collusion. It will effect Pegasus as some people will fly to Larnaca. Greece wins again
I suggest that the Pegasus just ignores the ‘ruling’ and see what happens. If the TRNC is not recognised, what can the DoT in the UK do about it?
They may remove landing permission Richard.
Hi Chris the simple way would be for the UK’S government to remove the embargo on TRNC we have not travelled on that route for over a year because of delay and looks like will not be for sometime to come. I think Ercan is a very safe airport
Thank you John, for sure there are issues here that authorities are perhaps not admitting to.
Of all of the comments seen on social media I think the request by Fikri Toros in this article to meet with those who are pushing for restrictions could lead to a breakthrough and improved arrangement.
Well if Pegasus don’t improve their current offering where the old evening flight to the UK via Istanbul is now not listed as a connecting flight, they will lose business. I asked via their customer service and they said if I booked two separate flights (which you can) you have to go through the full customs, reclaim your bags and recheck in. Obviously not possible in 1 hour and if the Ercan flight was delayed, you’d be stranded until the next morning. Ball is in their court. If the transit through the airport is limited to 1 hr, then I choose Pegasus, if not, then I fly another route.
Sorry for the delay in replying Neal as we only returned from the UK via Pegasus a few days ago and by reading our article about our experiences you may feel a little more comfortable with the prospect of flying with Pegasusu Airlines.
A lot of questions are being asked and opinions being aired about the new Pegasus Airlines flights to and from the UK from Northern Cyprus.
Perhaps the only way to discover the truth is by finding out the hard way and our view after doing so, is well done Pegasus Airlines – Please click below to find out more:
Pegasus Airlines and Northern Cyprus and the reality of flying to and from the UK