Local news portal CyprNews reported on 9 October that Cyprus has finalised the purchase of 40 state-of-the-art Automated Border Control (ABC) gates for installation at Larnaca and Paphos international airports by late-2026. The order—confirmed by the Justice Ministry and Cyprus Police—will replace the existing 2018-era BorderXpress kiosks and align airport infrastructure with the EU’s forthcoming Entry/Exit System. The new e-gates will support biometric passport verification, facial-recognition matching and automatic consultation of the Schengen Information System. They will be configured for both EU/EEA/Swiss travellers and eligible third-country nationals, with dedicated lanes for families and passengers with reduced mobility. Hermes Airports, the private operator of both airports, expects the technology to cut average border-control processing times from 90 seconds to under 30, boosting peak-hour capacity by up to 35 %. The upgrade is co-funded by the EU Internal Security Fund and is seen as a critical milestone in Cyprus’ bid for full Schengen membership. For corporates, the faster throughput should translate into shorter door-to-door travel times and lower risk of missed onward connections—an important consideration for time-sensitive business travellers and air-cargo crews. Airlines operating crew-change flights through Cyprus also welcome the move, noting that predictable turnaround times are key to network resilience. Training of border-police staff on the new system begins in December, with phased activation starting in the departures area at Larnaca in April 2027, followed by arrivals halls and Paphos later in the summer. Authorities say contingency manual lanes will remain available during the changeover to minimise disruption.
Source: CyprNews
