TUS Airways (U8, Larnaca) says it secured its commercial air transport licence from the Cypriot Air Transport Licensing Authority (ATLA) on December 3.
Though it is now capable of offering charter flights, the start-up has deferred the launch of scheduled passenger services until early January.
Initially, Tus Airways will employ a single Saab 340B on flights connecting its Larnaca hub with Beirut, Tel Aviv Ben Gurion, Haifa, Eilat Ovda International, Rhodes International, Kos Hippocrates, Samos, and Karpathos.
Tus Airways is one of three start-up carriers to have sprung forth since the collapse of state-backed carrier Cyprus Airways (1947) (Larnaca) earlier this year. The others - Orion Airways (Larnaca) and Cobalt (Larnaca) - are currently pursuing their respective Air Operator Certificates (AOC) with the island's Department of Civil Aviation (DCA).
For its part, Orion Airways is marketing itself as the first ever Cypriot budget carrier offering both chartered and scheduled flights. It plans to leverage the country's geographical position and develop Cyprus into a hub between Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
