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Cyprus International Airways - 1975



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Coco X - Med, POTKC

Cyprus International Airways - 1975

Following the 1974 invasion of Cyprus by Turkish forces, Cyprus International was launched into crisis. Prior to the invasion the company had been a small but successful operation riding high on the growth in tourism the island had experienced in the 70s.

After the invasion the airline teetered on the brink of collapse with the fleet of Vickers Viscounts and Hawker Siddeley Tridents stranded or destroyed or returned to the UK with one sole survivor Trident lucky enough to be on its way back from London at the time being forced to divert to Athens as news of the invasion reached the flight, This aircraft would later return to the UK.

The former base of Nicosia International was lost following the split of the island and the airline relocated to the new airport at Larnaca with help from the Cypriot government, it then began rebuilding its fleet, first leasing two BAC 1-11s from British Continental Airways and also purchased a single Boeing 707 from the Greek Hellas Airways. The new fleet allowed the company to restart operations path their new base and slowly regain ground in the international market.