Turkish provocations in Cypriot airspace have become an extremely dangerous thorn in the side, since, according to the Pan-Cyprian Air Traffic Controllers’ Union, they are constantly striving to ensure flight safety, which is being compromised by unauthorized Turkish aircraft and UAVs that operate almost continuously along critical routes and near the two airports in.
Specifically, as the Union notes, “in addition to the increased air traffic, air traffic controllers (ATCOs) at the Nicosia ACC and the Larnaca and Paphos approach control areas are making every possible effort to ensure flight safety, which is being compromised by unauthorized aircraft and UAVs belonging to the TurkishAir Force, which operate almost continuously along critical routes and near Cyprus’s two airports.”
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Indicative examples cited by air traffic controllers include flight TUAF770, which “never responded to calls from the Nicosia ACC, deviated from its flight plan route, and began climbing to FL360 while TOM56T was descending to FL350. The ATCO’s vigilance detected the potential collision and halted the B738’s descent just in time.”
As the Union emphasizes, “there is complete disregard for passenger safety on the part of Turkey. This has been going on 24/7 for decades, exacerbated by Ankara’s refusal to engage in two-way communication with the Nicosia ACC.”
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