Air traffic safety concerns rise following near-miss in Nicosia FIR

The European Air Traffic Controllers Union (ATCEUC) and the Cyprus Air Traffic Controllers Association (CYATCU) have issued a joint appeal for urgent international intervention following a serious near-miss incident in the Nicosia Flight Information Region (FIR). On the night of August 19, 2026, a Turkish Air Force Airbus A400M transport aircraft entered the Nicosia FIR without communicating with the Nicosia Area Control Center. The military jet deviated from its flight plan and climbed to an altitude of 36,000 feet, nearly colliding with a European Boeing 737 passenger aircraft.

This incident has prompted a joint session of the Defense and Transport Committees of the Cypriot House of Representatives to examine flight safety. Controllers argue that the event highlights the long-standing risks posed by unilateral Turkish military activity in the region, which they describe as a violation of the Chicago Convention. The unions accuse Ankara of systematically refusing to coordinate with the Nicosia Area Control Center, labeling the issue a political and institutional crisis rather than a mere technical failure. They have criticized Brussels for failing to address this ongoing situation for over a decade. The authorities are currently evaluating the safety implications, with the Cypriot parliament set to hold an inquiry into the matter.