Cypriot air traffic controllers report safety risks from Turkish military aircraft

The Pancyprian Air Traffic Controllers’ Trade Union reported on August 20, 2026, that unauthorized Turkish Air Force aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are frequently operating near Larnaca and Paphos airports, posing significant risks to civilian flight safety. Controllers at the Nicosia Area Control Centre and local approach units claim they must constantly navigate these incursions along critical air routes.

The union highlighted a specific incident involving a Turkish military aircraft, identified as TUAF770, which allegedly failed to communicate with Nicosia Control. The aircraft deviated from its flight plan and climbed to flight level FL360, while a Boeing 737-800, flight TOM56T, was descending to flight level FL350. Alert controllers identified the potential conflict, narrowly avoiding a mid-air collision. The dispute over the Nicosia Flight Information Region (FIR) remains a long-standing point of contention, with Turkish authorities operating a separate control system in the north, while the Republic of Cyprus maintains responsibility for the entire island's airspace. Civil aviation authorities have yet to provide detailed comments, and the Turkish government has not yet responded to inquiries.