Cyprus aviation inspections find no Ryanair safety concerns

Nicosia, Cyprus. Inspections by Cyprus’ civil aviation department have found no reason for concern over the safety of Ryanair flights operating in the Republic, the transport ministry said on Wednesday.

The statement followed a question from Limassol MP Ephraim Christou about a recent Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Munich, during which a passenger was sucked out of a plane window.

Response to incident

Former Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades said the civil aviation department had been informed of the incident and was monitoring the Greek authorities’ investigation.

He said the department would take appropriate measures in line with its assessment of safety recommendations issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

Inspections and oversight

Vafeades said the department had conducted four on-site inspections of Ryanair aircraft over the past two years. The inspections did not reveal grounds for restrictions or safety concerns regarding the group’s operations in the Republic.

He said the aircraft involved, registered as 9H-QEU, belongs to Malta Air Ltd, a Ryanair Group company. Malta Air holds an Air Operator Certificate from Malta’s civil aviation authority, which is responsible for the company’s ongoing supervision.

Further measures

Cyprus’ civil aviation authority can inspect aircraft operated by foreign carriers flying to and from Cyprus airports to verify compliance with safety requirements, Vafeades said. It can impose corrective or restrictive measures where necessary.

He said inspection frequency is determined by risk assessments, available safety data and the results of previous inspections. Additional measures would be considered in cooperation with relevant European bodies.

Vafeades also referred to a mechanism through which the Republic is immediately informed of significant safety incidents outside Cyprus involving air carriers operating in the country. He said the mechanism enables timely evaluation of such information as part of Cyprus’ supervisory activity.