SKY express Unveils Name of First Airbus A321neo: ‘CYPRUS’

Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides on Tuesday christened the first SKY express Airbus A321neo aircraft that is named CYPRUS, in honour of the first international destination of the airline.

“We are proud and it is extremely important for Cyprus that this latest generation aircraft crosses international skies with the name of our homeland,” Christodoulides said during the naming ceremony at Glafkos Clerides airport in Larnaca.

SKY express has a three-year presence in Cyprus with flights from Athens to Larnaca starting in 2021, followed by the Thessaloniki-Larnaca connection.

“It is very encouraging and hopeful in today’s environment of international competition to see dynamic Greek companies like SKY express, investing, growing and actually supporting the economy and passengers,” he said.

According to Eurocontrol data, Sky express is the European company with the largest increase in flights for 2022 compared to 2019.

Highlighting SKY express’ presence as a “vote of confidence” to Cyprus, Christodoulides said that ensuring a good air connection for the island country is a government priority.

“This year, 157 routes are served by 56 airlines, connecting our country with 39 others, while the goal for next year is to strengthen the air connection even more,” he said.

On her part, Hermes Airports CEO Eleni Kaloyirou said the new “CYPRUS” aircraft honours both the island country and the airport as it will be an ambassador of Cyprus throughout Europe.

“SKY express, with the continuous strengthening of its fleet, services and itineraries, is consolidating its position in the market, while its investment in our island and its long-term view of the development of tourism is a vote of confidence in the dynamics of the Cypriot product,” she said.

Ioannis Grylos, IOGR Group Founder & President – of which SKY express is also a member – said the company is constantly making significant investments in Cyprus.

“We are here to stay and be part of the progress of Cyprus and we are willing to to contribute to the country’s connectivity and its further economic and tourism development,” Grylos said, adding that giving SKY express’ first AIRBUS A321neo the name “CYPRUS” is a symbolic gesture.

“To express our gratitude to the Cypriot society that embraced us, but also to underline our will to connect even more closely with Cyprus and its people,” he said.

SKY express currently operates 3 daily flights from Larnaca to Athens and 4 flights per week from Larnaca to Thessaloniki.

In almost three years, since February 2021, SKY express has operated 6,047 flights to date with 655,000 passengers and 516 flights from/to Thessaloniki with 56,000 passengers.

Passengers flying from Larnaca can connect via Athens to the entire domestic network of SKY express, which counts 33 destinations – the largest in Greece – and abroad as it consistently serves an expanding network of 11 European destinations with direct flights.

The airline flies some 300,000 passengers (Greeks and foreigners) per year between Greece (ATH & SKG) and Cyprus in a total of 450,000 seats.

The airline this year recorded a 31 percent rise in passengers compared to 2022 on routes from Cyprus to Greece.

Aiming to attract visitors from all over the world, SKY express maintains strategic agreements with international airlines, giving the possibility of connecting Cyprus and beyond Europe, such as for example with the United States. SKY express has signed major agreements with global carriers such as Emirates, Delta, American Airlines, Air France, KLM, Qatar Airways, Cyprus Airways, Condor, El Al, Turkish Airlines, Middle East Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Air Transat and easyjet.

With the addition this year of its first two AIRBUS A321neo, the fleet of SKY express counts 23 aircraft, remaining the youngest fleet in Greece.