Noise Crackdown Would Mean Fewer Tourists, Less Money
The European Union has
warned newly-incorporated Cyprus over the high number of Russian
and former Soviet aircraft flying into that country -- not over
safety issues, but rather because they're just too noisy.
According to a report in the Cyprus Mail newspaper, the EU has
written to the Cyprus government warning the situation is
unacceptable and the governing body would take steps to remedy the
situation, which the governing body maintains goes against a
previous EU resolution banning such aircraft from the skies over
Europe.
The government has, in turn, requested a delay in the EU
crackdown of noisy aircraft, stating a high number of Russian
tourists visit the tiny nation each year, flying in on old
Soviet-era jets but bringing much-needed cash with them.
"It is mainly Russians that are coming on these large
planes,” Cypriot Communications and Works Minister Haris
Thrasou said. “We want to implement the ban gradually so as
not to affect tourism."
Thrasou added reports of the EU taking imminent steps to ban the
noisy airliners were exaggerated.
"There was a letter a few months ago about this issue," he said.
"We explained to them first of all that there was a dialogue now
between the EU and Russia about this, and we told the EU we would
wait to hear from them on the result of their talks with the
Russians and we shall comply with the relevant decisions."
Nevertheless, Thrasou also admitted he had a meeting last week with
a representative from Aeroflot, during which he stressed the
necessity of dealing with the noise issues cited by the EU.
The Russian carrier flies six Il-96s (file photo of type, above)
into Cyprus, which reportedly comprise approximately 40 percent of
the carrier's current long haul fleet. The Russians are trying to
gradually replace the noisy airliners on international routes, said
Thrasou, relegating the older jets to domestic runs.
While noting there were still violators coming in from Russia,
Thrasou said the situation is much better than it was last year
when flights from Ukraine, Moldavia, and Belarus were also flying
into Cyprus.
"This year we have much less and we are trying gradually to
phase them out," he said.
Russia is reportedly upset with the EU over the current noise
restrictions, with Moscow supporting a gradual withdrawal of high
noise level aircraft, otherwise the country’s economy would
be damaged. The nation is also opposed to new, even tougher EU
noise-pollution rules set to go into effect next year,
stating they are being implemented without any prior
discussion with the International Civil Aviation Organization.