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Cyprus Airports Register 16% Traffic Growth Amid Strategic Connectivity Initiatives

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

February 18, 2026

Air Traffic And Connectivity Surge

Hermes Airports has reported a significant 16% rise in air traffic at both Larnaca and Paphos airports during the November-January period compared to the previous year. Maria Kouroupi, Director of Aviation Development, Marketing, and Communication at Hermes Airports, attributes this upward trend to coordinated efforts across the tourism sector and strategic agreements with key airlines to sustain year-round routes.

Expanding Global Routes And New Markets

During the winter season, Larnaca Airport served 30 airlines operating flights to 54 destinations in 33 countries. The network expanded to include new markets such as Spain, Belgium, Slovakia and North Macedonia. Ten destinations, including Barcelona, Brussels, Bratislava, Skopje, Venice, Heraklion, Timisoara, Suceava, Cluj and Gyumri, were added for the first time.

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Paphos Airport maintained services from eight airlines connecting 35 destinations across 17 countries. The Paphos–Amman route resumed operations, while new flights to Düsseldorf and Haifa were introduced.

Geopolitical Considerations And Crisis Response

Kouroupi noted that while the tourism sector remains sensitive to geopolitical developments, particularly tensions in the Middle East, there is currently no direct impact on Cyprus’ air traffic volumes. Airlines may still modify routes to avoid unstable airspace, which can extend flight times or require refueling stops. Cyprus airports have also continued to support regional repatriation efforts during crises through additional flights and coordinated logistics.

Collaborative Connectivity And Strategic Marketing

Hermes Airports has pursued a long-term connectivity strategy in partnership with government and tourism authorities, aligning promotional initiatives and joint marketing campaigns. Participation in major aviation conferences and international tourism exhibitions has reinforced this coordinated approach. Industry collaboration over the past five years has contributed to faster decision-making and more effective crisis communication among stakeholders.

Infrastructure Investments And Expansion Developments

Hermes Airports is moving forward with infrastructure upgrades totaling €170 million under internally financed Phase B expansion plans. At Larnaca Airport, construction includes a new terminal wing, expanded boarding areas, increased baggage handling capacity and additional commercial space, with completion expected within 30 months. Paphos Airport is scheduled for a 30% terminal capacity increase along with taxiway improvements, targeted for completion in 27 months. Maintaining uninterrupted airport operations during construction remains a key operational focus supported by phased planning and passenger communication measures.

Conclusion

Amid shifting market conditions and external pressures, Cyprus’ airports continue to emphasize resilience and long-term planning. Expanded airline partnerships, diversified route networks and sustained infrastructure investment position the country to strengthen connectivity and support tourism growth in the years ahead.

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Google Cloud Outage Disrupts Banking And Digital Services Across The UK

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 20, 2026

A power outage at a Google Cloud data centre near London disrupted services across the UK on Tuesday, affecting banks, businesses and other digital platforms. Google said the incident was caused by a power event at its cloud operations, with full recovery expected by around 1300 GMT.

The disruption began at 0608 GMT and affected Google Cloud services in the europe-west2 region, which is hosted in London. In an initial update, the company reported elevated error rates and intermittent network failures across multiple services as engineers worked to restore operations.

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Banking Services Hit By The Disruption

Revolut was among the most visibly affected companies, with customers reporting problems with ATM withdrawals, bank transfers and card top-ups. A source close to the matter linked the issues to the Google Cloud outage.

Traditional banks also reported disruptions. Lloyds said some customers were experiencing problems with its app and online banking, while HSBC confirmed difficulties accessing its services. HSBC added that it was monitoring the situation and noted that other organisations were affected as well.

Disruption Spreads Beyond Finance

Downdetector, which tracks online service disruptions, recorded hundreds of reports involving other businesses, including property website Rightmove and the Royal Mail postal service. The reports suggested that the outage was affecting multiple parts of the UK’s digital economy.

The incident highlights the risks facing businesses that depend on shared cloud infrastructure. Even a temporary failure at a single provider can disrupt services across several sectors, from banking and payments to logistics and consumer platforms.

Companies Reassure Customers

Revolut said it had been working to resolve the issue since it was identified and apologised to affected customers. The company also confirmed that customers’ money and data remained safe.

As cloud platforms underpin an increasing share of digital commerce, the outage illustrates how disruptions to critical infrastructure can spread far beyond the provider itself, affecting businesses and customers across the economy.