Three countries reportedly interested in direct flights to the north

Russia, Kyrgyzstan and Azerbaijan are ready to carry out direct flights to the north, transport ‘minister’ Erhan Arıklı said on Wednesday.

According to Turkish Cypriot press reports, the north has received requests from all three countries to carry out flights there. Nonetheless, none have taken place due to the “serious pressures” Russia has faced, Arıklı said.

Russians living in the north have been pushing for direct flights to the north, with Arıklı previously saying this will start in March this year.

In a speech to ‘parliament’ discussing his ‘ministry’s budget, Arıklı added that works for the new Ercan/Tymbou airport are completed, with test flights to begin in mid-February. The opening of the new airport has been met with a number of delays to date, after it was initially scheduled to open in 2016.