Business travellers landing at Larnaca International Airport on Saturday, 20 June 2026, were greeted by long taxi queues and inflated ride-hailing surcharges as a strike by more than 300 drivers at Larnaca Public Transport (LPT) entered its eighth day. Late-night talks mediated by the Labour Ministry failed when drivers rejected a four-point working-hours proposal, according to union officials speaking to state news agency CNA. The walkout has suspended almost all city and inter-city bus services in the Larnaca district, including the popular 425 and 429 airport shuttles that connect the terminals with the hotel belt and the intercity hub. Hermes Airports has issued three travel advisories in 48 hours urging passengers to arrange alternative transport and arrive earlier for departures; several airlines have allowed free ticket changes for flights originating 20–23 June.
![Larnaca bus-driver strike drags on, snarling airport links and commuter routes]()
While juggling disrupted ground transport, travellers should also keep visa formalities in check: VisaHQ’s Cyprus portal (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) lets business visitors confirm entry requirements, complete applications online, and receive real-time consular updates, providing one less headache when schedules are already strained.
At issue are unpaid overtime and split-shift scheduling. Management says the offer on the table guarantees overtime pay above 7 h 36 min a day and limits daily duty to nine hours, but unions want a return to the pre-Covid roster that provided longer continuous breaks. The dispute is being closely watched by mobility planners because Cyprus relies on privately contracted bus companies to meet EU carbon-reduction targets for public transport modal share. For corporate mobility managers the strike is a reminder that ground-handling disruptions can undermine meticulously arranged travel even when air operations run smoothly. Relocation teams with staff arriving in the next week are booking private transfers or advising new hires to fly into Paphos, where services run normally. Ride-sharing operator Bolt reported a 62 % surge in demand in Larnaca over the weekend, triggering surge-pricing caps imposed by the Consumer Protection Agency. Labour Minister Antis Apostolou signalled he may move to compulsory arbitration if no deal is reached by mid-week, citing the economic impact on tourism and Cyprus’s EU Presidency calendar. Until then, travellers should monitor airline alerts and allow extra transfer time between Larnaca and Nicosia or Limassol.
While juggling disrupted ground transport, travellers should also keep visa formalities in check: VisaHQ’s Cyprus portal (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) lets business visitors confirm entry requirements, complete applications online, and receive real-time consular updates, providing one less headache when schedules are already strained.
At issue are unpaid overtime and split-shift scheduling. Management says the offer on the table guarantees overtime pay above 7 h 36 min a day and limits daily duty to nine hours, but unions want a return to the pre-Covid roster that provided longer continuous breaks. The dispute is being closely watched by mobility planners because Cyprus relies on privately contracted bus companies to meet EU carbon-reduction targets for public transport modal share. For corporate mobility managers the strike is a reminder that ground-handling disruptions can undermine meticulously arranged travel even when air operations run smoothly. Relocation teams with staff arriving in the next week are booking private transfers or advising new hires to fly into Paphos, where services run normally. Ride-sharing operator Bolt reported a 62 % surge in demand in Larnaca over the weekend, triggering surge-pricing caps imposed by the Consumer Protection Agency. Labour Minister Antis Apostolou signalled he may move to compulsory arbitration if no deal is reached by mid-week, citing the economic impact on tourism and Cyprus’s EU Presidency calendar. Until then, travellers should monitor airline alerts and allow extra transfer time between Larnaca and Nicosia or Limassol.
