The new Paphos international airport opened its doors to the first passengers yesterday and according to Hermes spokesman Adam Aspris, everything passed off without a hitch.

Aspris told the Cyprus Mail, "we are very pleased about the first day of operation and all the procedures ran smoothly. There were no major problems, and the passengers seemed pleased with the level and quality of service they received."

A barrage of stringent tests has been carried out at the airport to ensure everything would run smoothly from the first day of operation. These include using rehearsal passengers, who helped test all the facilities of the airport and filled in questionnaires to provide feedback for the operator, Hermes airports.

The first flight out of the new airport, which will be able to cater for 2.7 million passengers a year, was a Cyprus Airways flight at 10:30am, bound for London Heathrow. The check-in opened at 8:30am and the flight took off on time.

The first arrival at the new terminal was a Finnair flight from Helsinki. As the passengers were the first to arrive at the new airport, Hermes gave them each a few traditional gifts, including a bottle of the Cyprus fortified wine, Commandaria.

"The passengers looked pleased with them, "said Aspris," and they expressed their pleasure at using the new terminal."

Michel Hochet, the managing director of the Cyprus branch of Bouygues Batiment International, the French design and construction company responsible for Paphos airport, said they had ensured the airport was completed and delivered on time.

"The operation of the new airport is the result of a lot of hard work, between Hermes their co-operators, and the government services," Aspris said.

The philosophy behind the new terminal is the rich relationship that Paphos has with the goddess Aphrodite. After 27 months of construction, the project has been delivered on time and on budget.

Cyprus Mail