Readers mail….
From Oz Orman….
The tail end of September, saw two aviation stories regarding the TRNC. Firstly, the introduction of a new state airline named ‘Mavi Girne Havayolları’ (Blue Kyrenia Airlines) and secondly, the possibility of direct flights into Northern Cyprus from Russia.
Both news stories received a mixed reaction depending on your point of view. It will be a case of seeing is believing, especially alleged non-stop flights into Ercan from November 2022. Is this a Russian response to the lifting of the American arms embargo with the Greek Cypriots? Does anyone remember back in July 2005, when an Azeri Tupolev 154 arrived direct from Baku with a number of delegates? It was hoped at the time that investment and recognition would follow, but some 17 years later, the North is still in a case of limbo, with only sympathy from so called friends and allies muddled in the rhetoric of international law and all that encompasses.
The new terminal at Ercan is a welcome addition to the infrastructure of the TRNC. and I’m glad personally that the airport kept its original name and that common sense prevailed. Here’s hoping that the new airline can muscle in on the monopoly created by Türkiye’s low-cost carriers and that the new management of ‘Mavi Girne Havayolları’ (Blue Kyrenia Airlines) has learnt lessons from its predecessor ‘KTHY- Kıbrıs Türk Hava Yolları’ (Cyprus Turkish Airlines).
In time, proper connecting air links into the UK need to be re-established. The ex-pat community and Turkish Cypriot diaspora have become disillusioned at the level of service into the island’s North. These days you have to be like Usain Bolt to make it to your connecting flight when landing in Türkiye. Many people I have spoken to have complained of the poor customer service and unsympathetic airline staff. On occasion, airline agents try and get you to pay for an additional ticket to fly on if you miss your connecting flight, even though you have paid already. No wonder, people choose to fly in to Larnaca without the hassle of a stop-over in Türkiye and a short transfer over the green line. The days of just waiting on the plane are unfortunately over, thanks to Greek Cypriot political intrusion regarding the security of such flights. I wish the new airline good luck and hope they have hired the right personnel to make it a success. Only time will tell if it survives in a post Covid aviation arena.
Whilst the new terminal at Ercan is gearing up for its inauguration in November 2022. Its substitute at Geçitkale awaits its fate. Before Covid struck, the North’s second airport was in the news due to the arrival of a drone from Türkiye. This was in response to rising tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean and a possible gas deal between the Turkish mainland and Libya. Through contacts I had tried to visit Geçitkale in August 2019, but my request was denied due to it being designated a military facility. I know that the CyprusScene team had also tried and received the same response, even though they had been welcomed at the airport previously.
Back then the airfield at Geçitkale housed the TRNC. Air Sports Federation, but it appears that the organisation has since had to vacate the site. Is this due to the military nature of the airport these days? I know from reading the local press that the group are in conflict with the government over investment and wage issues. They even held a vocal protest outside parliament in Nicosia in May 2022, but it is unclear whether the issues have been resolved.
I personally flew in and out of Geçitkale in 1986 and in 2004. It is no Ercan but has its own quaintness and characteristics. The terminal is small and cramped, with everything on one level. I also remember the walk up a path when departing to get to the main aircraft ramp. The airport has an impressive control tower, which is now mirrored at Ercan. It would win no architectural awards, but as Margaret Sheard of CyprusScene had pointed out it wouldn’t be able to cope in today’s climate with increased arrivals and departures into the North. If anything, it was an airport of its time.
Whilst researching Nicosia International and Ercan airports. I came across documents at the National Archive related to Geçitkale or Lefkoniko as it was also referred to. It appears that Geçitkale was built in response to Paphos airport in the south. There was speculation and rumour about the true purpose of the North’s second airfield. Some cited that it would be used as an American airbase, and it would house a Rapid Deployment Force for operations into the Middle East. Other sources claimed that the development at Geçitkale would cost in the region of $500 million, which was more than the budget of the TRNC at the time. British Government documents questioned inaccurate journalism for stoking up tension about the airport and that there was no evidence that anything aiding military deployment was being readied at Geçitkale. Although it has a long runway, there are no bunkers for aircraft or the logistics to house fighter jets permanently
Fast forward and the TRNC Air Sports Federation, which was established in 2005 based itself at Geçitkale and revitalised the airfield. Margaret Sheard was fortunate enough to experience a flight in a gyrocopter from the airport with Serkan Ozcezarlı, one of the instructor pilots of the Federation. A video of her flight is available online and shows Geçitkale from up high. Margaret clearly enjoyed the experience, and a strong friendship was forged with Serkan and the CyprusScene team. It was hoped that the airport would become properly functional again with rumours of investment and development, but Covid and the deployment of drones to Northern Cyprus put an end to the speculation. Unfortunately, tragedy also followed when whilst on a training flight in the same year, Serkan Ozcezarlı and his friend Hakan Çetinkaya died when their aircraft crashed near the airfield. Their untimely passing left a void in the TRNC Air Sports Federation.
Since the end of 2019, the airport has remained inactive with weeds and other vegetation again gaining a foothold on the site. Police guard the entrance and any enquiries about entry are politely dismissed. Some have described Geçitkale as a white elephant and in line with poor planning by authorities. However, even though Ercan will have two runways in time, Geçitkale will still need to be available if something happens to the North’s primary airfield. The issue of electricity pylons in Geçitkale’s vicinity still hasn’t been resolved and renders specific landings and taking offs using Runway 09 ineffective.
I have therefore put together a video about the airport and the history of the place names linked to it. I hope that the CyprusScene fraternity find it of interest and it galvanises support for Geçitkale’s status to be re-evaluated and concrete plans put in place to promote the airport once more. Watch this space!
By Mr O. Orman
