PAFOS AIRPORT 01 Nov 2017

[mike strand2]

I took friends to the airport on Wednesday at 5pm and was shocked to see passengers qyueuing out the door and all the way past the building as far the eye could see. It looked like the pictures you see on the TV of refugees waiting in line! My friends were fortunate in that they had booked Special Assistance, albeit they could observe chaos & severe overcrowding inside the terminal. An explanation being given was that it was the first day of a new ground handling company. What a day to choose when the airport is at it's busiest! It would no doubt have left a very bad impression of Cyprus. One has to wonder what training had been given to the ground handlers before Wednesday!

[mockaji]

Must have been a different team on at 5pm as I collected a friend at 2pm and whilst it was busy definitely no queues and he was out of the baggage area within 25 minutes from landing complete with hold baggage.

[STELIOSBWFC]

We had the same on 30th of Sept returning to Manchester. The girls booking in got loads of abuse that was not right as the baggage belt had gone down. When I got to the front the lady said they have had lots of problems over the last few weeks with the new system. I said no worries and thank you for having me in your lovely country. Hence to say may bags were over but she let it go. A bit off the thread but manners keeping calm go along way.

[JimX]

Daughter is a rep who picks up at Pafos airport Cruising types off to Limassol to embark on cruise ships, it is the first time this November and why the airport was so busy on Wednesday, always a busy day but this week see's the start of Thomsen's cruisers. Helen said it was manic most of the day.

[Pafos]

I took friends to the airport on Wednesday at 5pm and was shocked to see passengers qyueuing out the door and all the way past the building as far the eye could see. It looked like the pictures you see on the TV of refugees waiting in line! My friends were fortunate in that they had booked Special Assistance, albeit they could observe chaos & severe overcrowding inside the terminal. An explanation being given was that it was the first day of a new ground handling company. What a day to choose when the airport is at it's busiest! It would no doubt have left a very bad impression of Cyprus. One has to wonder what training had been given to the ground handlers before Wednesday!

It's not actually a new ground handling company. The security has gone private now though, a company called ICTS have taken over from the Police. Obviously, there is still a Police presence, but all screening and searches are now conducted by the ICTS operatives. They have had a presence at PFO and LCA for well over six months now.

This was a complete screw up, and could have been avoided by proper planning.

[Bograt]

We had the same on 30th of Sept returning to Manchester. The girls booking in got loads of abuse that was not right as the baggage belt had gone down. When I got to the front the lady said they have had lots of problems over the last few weeks with the new system. I said no worries and thank you for having me in your lovely country. Hence to say may bags were over but she let it go. A bit off the thread but manners keeping calm go along way.

Quite right, and exactly what I would have said. People giving abuse to the wrong people always gets my goat. Either sort out your issues with the person who is in charge, or be polite to those who are not but who are getting it in the neck.