Hermes Airports on Friday denied criticism levied at the organisation from the European Commission, after Brussels warned Cyprus over persistent shortcomings in airport security at Larnaca and Paphos airports.
Earlier this week, the commission had sent Cyprus a cautionary notice, stressing that the Republic had failed to ensure that the airport operator correctly complies with all regulatory requirements, specifically rescue and firefighting services.
It also raised concerns about whether the civil aviation department has enough qualified staff to carry out effective oversight.
These issues were first identified during an inspection by the European aviation safety agency (EASA) in 2020 and repeated in a formal notice sent in November 2023.
Hermes Airports stressed that ‘firefighting and rescue services’ do not fall under its jurisdiction.
It recalled that EASA had previously recommended that firefighting services should be subordinate to the airport manager, in line with international practice.
It also rejected claims made in various reports regarding alleged security issues at Larnaca and Paphos airports, saying these do not relate to the current matter and do not reflect reality.
All security measures are implemented ‘strictly in line with national and international standards’, it said, with systematic checks carried out to ensure ‘maximum operational safety’.
The commission has given Cyprus two months to respond and take corrective action.
If the infringements are not addressed, Brussels may refer the case to the EU court of justice.
The concerns follow earlier instances in which the security of Cypriot airports has been questioned, including a temporary suspension of flights by Israeli airlines earlier this year.
