Readers mail…..

From David Meade….

"This time for a change we decided that we would "for sentimental reasons" fly into Ercan, the flight was pretty much overnight taking off at 00:30. At check-in we were told that our bags would automatically be transferred to the connecting flight at Istanbul and everything on the flight out went extremely smoothly, landing at Istanbul airport on time, a smooth transition through passport control and we were right there in departures ready for our next flight to Ercan, with an hour and a half to spare we had ample time to grab a drink and chill, the flight to Ercan took off on time and landed at the expected time and all was good in the world.

The flight back to Stansted however would test our stress limits "to say the least" While checking in at Ercan we were again told that our checked luggage would automatically be transferred to our second flight at Istanbul. We arrived at Istanbul on time and this is where the stress started, we were directed to passport control "and the cues were long" and then had to pass through security, once cleared we were at a loss as to where we now needed to go, no signs or advise was given, we managed to speak to the only helpful member of airport staff we could find, where we were told to head to departures, this meant we had to leave arrivals and enter departures, and once again we had to cue for passport control and security, we were directed to a passport control cue only to be told once we had reached the front that we were in the wrong cue, explaining that we only had 30 minutes to get our flight, the official reluctantly let us though, with security complete we had 5 minutes to find and get to our gate, we arrived at the gate with moments to spare, with the usual cues at Stansted on arrival, the remaining flight was fine.

If you are thinking of taking this flight, I personally would advise against it"

Observations by Chris Elliott….

Travelling UK Stansted to TRNC Ercan and return has always been difficult due to international restrictions but if you were prepared to travel with Pegasus Airways in the past you could do so in comfort by remaining in the aircraft when it landed in Turkey before continuing the flight to Ercan.

Then one fateful day the news broke that the UK Department of Transport had written an Official Sensitive letter to Pegasus Airlines demanding they stop the practice of allowing UK passengers to remain on board the aircraft for security reasons. This letter somehow got into the public domain and can be read by clicking here.

TRNC air embargo: “prove it’s not politically motivated,” Turkish Cypriots tell UK govt – T-VINE

Margaret Sheard and I then received an invitation from the then TRNC Undersecretary of the Ministry of Tourism to bring representatives of NGOs to a meeting when we were all given an explanation of what was happening and how this would affect all travelling UK citizens.

TRNC Ministry of Tourism reaction to new decision on Pegasus flights to the UK (cyprusscene.com)

Pegasus Airlines new flight arrangements to and from the UK via Turkey (cyprusscene.com)

Now at the time I had contact with a friend in security in the UK who had been chair of the UK Police Airport Commanders Security and Strategy group and asked for his advice and he replied.

“A meeting with airline operators and airport operators and chamber of commerce plus head of tourism is a must.  Bang heads together to upgrade security.  Consider the military and head of police also.

I did this at Stansted over an issue with great results.  We also had the security Service representative there as well.  What about the British attaché?  By getting everyone there it has to be hopeful?? Not sure if you would get DfT but you could volunteer to pay for flight and accommodation?”

So with those suggestions, I passed them to an appropriate TRNC contact who had contact with the TRNC Government officials. What happened thereafter I do not know other than nothing has changed.

Margaret Sheared and I made a trip with Pegasus prior to security changes and we were able to stay on the aircraft going to Stansted but on return, we had to get off the aircraft for security reasons and in the article we published we said:

“We then waited at the departure gate and saw two of our fellow passengers in wheelchairs being taken through to board an aircraft. As we walked down the tunnel to the aircraft door I said to Margaret, this is the same aircraft we were on and as we went back to our booked seats Margaret retrieved the in-flight magazine from the back of the seat in front and continued with the Sudoku puzzle she was enjoying when we landed. How mad is this?

Why is all this complexity and accelerating costs of travelling occurring?”

Pegasus Airlines have said that they have had to implement changes to their previous method of operation at the request of the UK Department of Trade!

It’s often been said that these security arrangements UK to Ercan are not political but when you sit on an inbound flight in Turkey whilst they take off 2 wheelchair passengers and then wait with them to reboard the same aircraft on the onward flight to Ercan after going through security again then you realise the civil service mandarins in power have lost all sense of reality to preserve their egotistic desires and plans.

Time has moved on and now the increasing demands to the UN and the international community for a 2 State Solution and Recognition of the TRNC will be the key to unlocking the insane and unfair policies that have been enacted in the past. 
https://cyprusscene.com/2023/09/27/ongoing-agonies-of-flying-stansted-to-ercan-and-return/