307 more Cypriots to be repatriated from Dubai

Cyprus is set to repatriate another 307 citizens from Dubai on Friday as the government continues emergency flights to bring nationals home from areas affected by the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Two commercial flights are scheduled to land at Larnaca airport on Friday evening as part of the state coordinated operation.

A Cyprus Airways aircraft arriving from Dubai is expected at 18.40 carrying 145 passengers, including four infants.

 A second aircraft operated by TUS Airways is due to arrive at 19.15 from Dubai’s Al Maktoum Airport with a further 162 passengers on board.

The arrivals will raise the number of Cypriots returned to the island so far to 512, with 488 of them repatriated from the United Arab Emirates.

Authorities say Cyprus moved quickly to organise chartered commercial flights to bring back those stranded by widespread airspace disruptions across the region.

Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said the effort is being carried out under tight operational constraints.

“We are operating with narrow windows of opportunity by which to return Cypriots from the Emirates,” he previously said, stressing that safety remains the overriding condition for every flight.

The repatriation programme was activated after hostilities disrupted air travel across the Middle East and led to repeated cancellations of flights.

Officials say just over 2,000 Cypriots have registered their presence in the region through the Connect2CY platform since the outbreak of the crisis.

Earlier repatriation flights have already returned dozens of citizens from other countries affected by the disruption.

Eight Cypriots who had been in Israel were transported through Egypt, while others travelling through Jordan were assisted in reaching Cairo before continuing their journey back to Cyprus.

Twelve Cypriots transiting through Bahrain were also helped to travel onward after being accommodated with assistance from Gulf Air.

Passengers returning from Dubai described a tense atmosphere during the early stages of the crisis but said conditions were calmer than widely portrayed online.

One traveller said “we were all terrified and waiting to come home and see our families”, while another passenger said there had been “a bit of panicking” before authorities organised flights out of the region.

Savvas Kyriacou, who returned on an earlier repatriation flight, said defensive interceptions were visible during the unrest.

“There were interceptions and fragments of drones kept falling,” he said, adding that although there was concern among travellers, “things were relatively alright but we stayed indoors”.

The government has emphasised that the protection and return of Cypriots abroad remains its central priority.

Letymbiotis said operations are being coordinated with regional authorities and airspace control agencies to ensure flights proceed safely.

“The protection and safe return of our citizens is an absolute priority,” he said.

The security situation and regional airspace restrictions have also disrupted normal aviation operations at Larnaca.

Authorities reported that 39 flights to and from the airport were cancelled on Friday, including 22 arrivals and 17 departures.

Passengers with scheduled travel have been urged to contact their airline or travel agent before heading to the airport as further changes to flight schedules remain possible while the situation in the region continues to evolve.