Flight Safety Foundation condemns Turkish military incursions in Nicosia FIR

On August 24, 2026, the Flight Safety Foundation Southeast Europe-Cyprus (FSF-SE-Europe-Cyprus) issued a formal condemnation regarding repeated unauthorized incursions by Turkish military aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into the Nicosia Flight Information Region (FIR). These activities are being conducted without necessary coordination with relevant air traffic control authorities.

According to the foundation, these maneuvers create significant operational risks, particularly when they occur near critical flight paths or the approach corridors for Larnaca and Paphos airports. Such actions place an unnecessary and excessive strain on air traffic controllers, though the foundation praised the staff at the Nicosia Area Control Centre and the airports for their professional readiness and ability to maintain safety standards. The Department of Civil Aviation acknowledged the situation as a long-standing operational reality that requires continuous, heightened vigilance rather than being a new or unforeseen phenomenon.

The foundation expressed full support for the technical and operational personnel currently managing these challenges. While the Department of Civil Aviation continues to monitor the impact of these sorties alongside the unlawful operations at Tymbou airport, there is no mention of specific new legal actions or impending policy shifts beyond continued systematic management of the airspace.