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Aegean Extends Its European Lead With 15th Straight Skytrax Win

Aegean Airlines has once again been named Europe’s Best Regional Airline at the 2026 Skytrax World Airline Awards in London, extending its dominance in the category for a 15th consecutive year and marking its 16th overall win in 27 years of operations.

The Greek carrier, which serves Cyprus extensively across its network, also retained fourth place globally in the ranking for World’s Best Regional Airline, underscoring its continued strength in a highly competitive segment of the aviation market.

Recognition Backed By Passenger Feedback

The award was presented at the Langham Hotel in London, where Aegean representatives and cabin crew attended the ceremony to accept the distinction. Skytrax said the results are based entirely on passenger feedback collected through what it describes as the world’s largest airline customer satisfaction survey.

Widely regarded as one of the aviation industry’s most influential benchmarks, the Skytrax awards are often referred to as the “Oscars of the aviation industry.” For airlines, the recognition carries commercial weight as well as reputational value, since it reflects direct customer sentiment rather than a panel-led assessment.

Aegean Cites Trust, Service And Investment

Aegean said the latest accolade reflects the trust of its passengers and the airline’s sustained focus on service quality and the overall travel experience.

“It is a great honour for Aegean to be recognised once again as the ‘Best Regional Airline in Europe’,” said Michalis Kouveliotis, deputy chief executive of Aegean. “This distinction is particularly meaningful in today’s demanding and rapidly evolving environment, and is a testament to the commitment, professionalism and dedication of our people.”

He added that the award also reflects the confidence passengers have placed in the airline over nearly three decades of operations. “Maintaining the highest standards of quality is a long-standing commitment at Aegean, one that requires continuous investment, innovation and unwavering dedication,” he said.

Passenger Loyalty Remains A Competitive Advantage

Skytrax chief executive Edward Plaisted said Aegean’s repeated success demonstrates the strength of its customer proposition and the consistency of its onboard experience.

“Aegean Airlines’ repeated success in being named the Best Regional Airline in Europe reflects the strong passenger appreciation of their standards,” Plaisted said. “This success for a record 16th time demonstrates Aegean Airlines’ dedication to providing an excellent quality of onboard experience and consistent service delivery.”

For Aegean, the 2026 award extends an uninterrupted 15-year run at the top of the European regional airline category. Its fourth-place global ranking keeps the carrier among the leading regional airlines worldwide, reinforcing its position as a benchmark for service, reliability and passenger loyalty.

Cyprus Government Surplus Rises To €1.61 Billion In First Nine Months Of 2026

Cyprus recorded a general government surplus of €1.61 billion in the first nine months of 2026, equal to 4.0% of gross domestic product, as revenue growth outpaced the rise in public spending. Higher receipts from income taxes, social contributions and value-added tax (VAT) drove the improvement, while lower capital expenditure helped restrain spending.

Preliminary figures released Tuesday by the Statistical Service of Cyprus show the surplus rose to €1.17 billion, or 3.0% of GDP, up from € 442.1 million in the same period of 2025.

Total government revenue increased 6.5% to €12.09 billion, while expenditure rose 2.9% to €10.48 billion.

Key Fiscal MeasureJanuary–September 2025January–September 2026
Total revenue€11,353.9 million€12,091.8 million
Total expenditure€10,186.2 million€10,482.1 million
Government surplus€1,167.6 million€1,609.7 million
Surplus as a share of GDP3.0%4.0%

Income Taxes And VAT Lead Revenue Growth

Taxes on income and wealth made the largest contribution to the increase in revenue. Receipts in this category climbed by €442.2 million, or 15.3%, to €3.34 billion, compared with €2.89 billion a year earlier.

Social contributions rose by €235 million, or 6.6%, to €3.78 billion. Taxes on production and imports increased by €251.5 million, or 7.2%, reaching €3.77 billion.

Net VAT receipts, after refunds, totalled €2.64 billion, up €293.1 million, or 12.5%, from €2.35 billion in the first nine months of 2025.

Some Revenue Streams Decline

Not all revenue categories moved higher. Capital transfers fell by €74.6 million to €96.7 million, while current transfers declined by €71.6 million, or 20.5%, to €278.2 million.

Revenue from services slipped 1.0% to €743.5 million. Interest and dividend receipts dropped by €37 million, or 28.6%, to €92.4 million.

Social Benefits And Personnel Costs Increase

On the expenditure side, social benefits rose by €199.6 million, or 4.9%, to €4.27 billion. Compensation of employees—which includes imputed social contributions and public-sector pensions—increased by €108.3 million, or 3.8%, to €2.99 billion.

Intermediate consumption, covering goods and services used in the delivery of public services, rose by €114.3 million, or 11.0%, to €1.16 billion. Interest payments increased by €8.7 million, or 2.6%, to €340.7 million. Current transfers were up €68.7 million, or 10.6%, at €714.7 million.

Lower Capital Spending Limits Expenditure Growth

The overall increase in spending was tempered by a decline in capital expenditure. Capital-account spending fell by €189.9 million, or 16.9%, to €936.2 million from €1.13 billion in the same period last year.

Investment in fixed capital declined by €94.1 million, or 12.1%, to €686.4 million. Other capital transfers fell by €95.8 million, or 27.7%, to €249.8 million. Subsidies also decreased, dropping by €13.9 million, or 15.5%, to €75.8 million.

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