Cyprus’ flag carrier has secured a coveted codeshare with Air France, announced on 21 July and already live for travel during the peak summer season. Up to six weekly flights between Larnaca (LCA) and Paris Charles-de-Gaulle (CDG) now carry both CY and AF flight codes, giving travellers seamless access to Air France’s global network and feeding tourist traffic into Cyprus at a critical time for the island’s visitor economy. For business travellers and expatriates, the agreement cuts connection times to North America, Africa and Asia because itineraries can be plated on a single ticket with through-check of baggage and protected connections. Employers running commuter assignments between France and Cyprus can also tap into Air France-KLM’s BlueBiz corporate-rewards scheme, which now recognises the CY-operated sector. Beyond the headline route, the two airlines have signed an interline deal covering Larnaca–Athens, Larnaca–Milan, CDG–Athens and CDG–Milan, effectively creating a mini-hub triangle that widens options if direct seats sell out. Services are flown with Airbus A220s, offering a dedicated business-class cabin that competes with full-service European carriers and gives Cyprus-based executives a non-stop premium product into one of Europe’s busiest hubs. Strategically, the tie-up strengthens Cyprus Airways’ value ahead of a planned partial privatisation in 2027, while Air France deepens its presence in the Eastern Mediterranean without adding its own metal. Travel managers should update booking tools to capture the new AF codes (AF 740x series) on CY-operated segments and check that corporate fares file correctly across both carriers’ distribution systems.
Source: Kathimerini Cyprus (KNews)
