F-16s in the TRNC Disrupt Civilian Flights: Passengers Pay for Military Readiness

Passengers departing from Ercan Airport in the TRNC are increasingly facing flight delays. The reason is not bad weather or technical malfunctions, but the round-the-clock combat readiness of Turkish F-16 fighter jets, which is changing the usual operations of civil aviation.

Military takeoffs — civilian delays

The problem was reported by the chairman of the air traffic controllers' union, Kürşat Hüdaverdioglu, whose words are cited by the newspaper “Bugün Kıbrıs”. According to him, during heightened combat readiness, some flights are delayed, temporarily suspended, or diverted to alternate airports. Although such cases cannot yet be called widespread, they occur regularly.

Sources cited by the publication say that the runway is constantly maintained in a state required for the emergency takeoff of F-16s. At least two fighter jets take off from the airfield every day, and roughly every other day military activity affects four to five civilian flights.

Because of differences in flight procedures, passenger aircraft often have to wait up to 30 minutes for landing clearance. If there is not enough fuel, the planes are diverted to alternate airports.

Flights are becoming more expensive

Military activity affects not only the schedule, but also the cost of air transportation. According to “Bugün Kıbrıs”, the additional procedures increase costs by approximately 50%.

The rise in costs is linked to runway preparation, the installation of protective barriers, additional coordination between military and civilian services, as well as the increased workload on air traffic controllers and ground staff.

Military control and staffing shortages

According to the publication, a military specialist is on duty around the clock in the Ercan Airport control tower. At the same time, positions for the director, his deputy and the head of the air traffic management department remain unfilled in the civil aviation service, despite the noticeable increase in workload.

The reason — the situation in the Middle East

Kürşat Hüdaverdioglu linked the усиление of the military presence to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. According to him, the deployment of F-16s has become one of the security measures. Despite the additional difficulties for civil aviation, he believes these measures are necessary in the current regional situation.