- 50 flights (arrivals and departures) were disrupted at Larnaca and Paphos airports
- 15,000 passengers were stranded or delayed during the three-hour strike
- Schools, transport, and hospitals joined the walkout
- Essential services like electricity, water, telecoms, and emergency units ran with skeleton staff
- Unions demand full implementation and extension of the Cost of Living Allowance (CoLA)
From 11:00 to 14:00 today, Cyprus came to a standstill. The three-hour general strike rippled across the island, grounding flights, closing schools, and slowing down public services.
At Larnaca and Paphos airports, the impact was immediate. The airport’s operator confirmed that about 50 flights—both arrivals and departures—were affected, leaving some 15,000 travelers waiting on the ground. Delays spread across airlines, with passengers facing long queues and uncertain itineraries.
Wider Disruption Across Sectors
The strike was not confined to aviation. Schools shut their doors, buses stopped running, and parts of the health sector joined the mobilization. With broad participation from unions, the protest touched nearly every aspect of daily life.
Critical services, including electricity, water, telecommunications, and emergency response, continued to operate but only with safety staff, ensuring that the island’s basic needs were met without interruption.
The Unresolved CoLA Dispute
At the heart of the strike lies a dispute over the Cost of Living Allowance (CoLA). Trade unions are demanding its full implementation and protection, as well as its extension to all employees. They argue that without CoLA, rising inflation leaves workers exposed and households struggling.
Negotiations between unions, employers’ associations, and the government collapsed earlier this month. The Ministry of Labour is expected to step back in to mediate, but so far the stalemate remains.
For Cyprus, today’s strike was more than just a disruption. It was a visible reminder of the widening rift between workers and policymakers over wages, inflation, and fairness in a fragile economy.