By Frederic Pralus

• *CEO, Bird Aviation

For years, whenever we discussed aviation in Cyprus, the conversation focused almost exclusively on arrivals, departures, and tourism revenue. These are, of course, indicators that rightfully dominate public discourse in a country that relies on tourism for a significant portion of its economy and employment.

Today, however, aviation is much more than that.

My participation in the recent European Aviation Strategy Summit, held in Nicosia as part of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union, confirmed that Europe now views aviation through a different lens. It is no longer viewed merely as a means of transportation, but as a strategic sector that generates investment, skilled jobs, know-how, and competitiveness. This shift in approach is worth giving us pause for creative reflection.

The Significant Economic Impact

The value of aviation is not measured solely by the number of passengers passing through an airport. It is also measured by the services exported, the investments attracted, the high-quality jobs created, and the capital flowing into the Cypriot economy.

In the sector I know best—aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO)— every contract awarded to a Cypriot company means the export of services, tax revenue, contributions to the Social Insurance Fund, and substantial economic activity for dozens of other businesses. At the same time, it brings skilled professionals to the country who live and work in Cyprus for weeks or even months, supporting the local economy, especially during periods of lower tourist traffic.

Those of us active in the industry know full well that none of this can be taken for granted. Every maintenance contract secured by a Cypriot company has been won in a highly competitive international environment, up against established markets in the region, such as Turkey. This is not merely a business success; it is a success for the Cypriot economy, as it brings income, know-how, and economic activity to the country that would otherwise have gone to competing markets.

A major European airline’s choice of a Cypriot company is based neither on geography nor on luck. It is the result of continuous investment in people, infrastructure, and expertise, as well as compliance with one of the strictest regulatory frameworks in the world. Trust in our industry is not a given; it is earned every day.

In terms of the national economy, attracting such contracts constitutes the export of high-value-added services. And when this is accompanied by investments that strengthen Cyprus’s position as a regional hub for aviation services, creating the right conditions for the sector’s further growth is not merely a business priority. It is a conscious development choice for the country.

Cyprus has greater potential

Cyprus possesses significant comparative advantages that can even overcome the objective challenges posed by its insularity, particularly in terms of the supply chain and logistics. Its strategic geographic location, its membership in the European Union, and the presence of companies with international operations create strong conditions for the further development of the aviation sector.

The ecosystem that has developed around Larnaca Airport demonstrates that Cyprus has the potential to become a regional hub not only for passenger transport, but also for highly specialized services targeting the international market.

At Bird Aviation, we chose from day one to invest in this vision. Over the course of a decade, we have made successive investments using our own capital, creating new facilities that have doubled our production capacity and enabled the creation of new jobs.

Most importantly, however, these investments represent a tangible vote of confidence in Cyprus’s potential to claim an even greater role on the European aviation map. To achieve this, it requires parallel collaboration between the private and public sectors, with practical support for institutional bodies such as the Civil Aviation Department and the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Public Works, in order to establish a modern and functional framework capable of competing with other countries that are rapidly developing their aviation sectors.

The Next Challenge

The recent conference in Nicosia confirmed that Europe now views aviation as part of its industrial policy and not merely as a transportation sector.

In this context, we must not forget that the aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) sector in the EMEA region represents a market exceeding 30 billion euros** annually—which is equivalent to Cyprus’s GDP a few years ago.

The challenge for the country, therefore, is to secure its fair share of this market. Whether this will happen is not a theoretical question, but a practical choice with immediate economic implications.

www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/europe-aircraft-mro-market