Flights are silly prices at the moment. I am due to go in May and October next year but struggling to find decent prices to make independent travel worthwhile. I have always paid between £180 and £220 but can't find anything in that price range at the moment and I think it's unlikely I shall. Flights to Cyprus have always been more expensive than other places and I think you will find they are due to increase even more and you have to decide whether to jump in now and book what you see or leave it until later and, whilst you may get a cheaper flight by leaving it later, you run the risk of the price being hiked up even more! At one point flights with Eurocypria were showing at £1,250.00!! I thought this might have been a misplaced decimal point but was given some very disturbing news when we left Cyprus last October which if true could explain why there appear to be less flights at increased prices. We have always booked our flights 10 months in advance, in fact as we are leaving Cyprus. The apartments we generally stay in book our flights for us through either Cyprus Airlines or Eurocypria. However as we were leaving last October they were unable to come up with anything reasonably priced and suggested we leave it until closer to Christmas before trying to book. They were however aware and concerned that certain holiday companies had approached them and offered £10 per night per room to take the whole of the 38 rooms they have throughout the season (which was declined by our Cypriot friends as the normal price is between £22 and £35 per night depending on season and they have a lot of returning holidaymakers).The tour company was buying up as many block airline seats as possible for 2008 to try and push the independent traveller into going back to major tour operators and not deal direct with hotels. I sincerely hope this is not correct because I know who I would sooner give my hard earned money to and its not the big boy tour operators! There appear to be limited flights at the moment with Cyprus Airlines but I understand more are to be added. Some flights to Larnaca are now via Paphos which adds extra travel time. British Airways seem to offer decent prices but unfortunately you have to fly from Manchester to Heathrow, change flights and arrive in Cyprus the following day which is a waste of a day's holiday. All in all I think I have resigned myself to the fact that if I want to travel independently and have a guaranteed seat next May and October then I have going to have to pay around the £260 mark to do so. Good luck in your search.

Where are you flying from ?

Easyjet have now taken over from GB Airways from Manchester, if that helps.

Kath HT Admin

Hi - I had exactly the same problem with my flights from Newcastle to Larnaca. We nearly always book the Thomson flight but use First Choice as they usually are always cheaper, however, this year they were nearly £150 more expensive in June than they were in June last year so like yourself decided to wait. Long story short they were still coming in around the £650 mark for the middle of June but on trawling the internet managed to find http://www.flythomascook.com (not the thomas cook main site) and two weeks ago booked Newcastle to Larnaca on 11 June for 2 weeks for a total of £331 plus £60 for the two of us which included pre booked seats, 5kg extra luggage and meals on the flight! The main thomas cook site for exactly the same flight was quoting £642. It might be worth looking at that site for yourself from Leeds or Doncaster. Good luck.

Ive used freedomflights.co.uk in the past and was quite happy with their prices, but that was back in 2004! I still they are quite reasonable though.

You have the choice of the following airlines from Manchester:

First Choice Airways
Thomas Cook Airlines / My Travel
Thomsonfly
Excel (XL.com)
Cyprus Airways
Easyjet
Eurocypria (charter)
Astraeus (charter)

Darren

Thomson are doing flights to Paphos at £310 this August. The annoying thing about it is that they charge £10 per 25 kg check in luggage. Try Scyscanner for flights. Personally, after my experience with XL I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole.

Yes the new easyjet prices are up, some very good, but be quick.

After much trawling round the internet found flights with my favourite airline, Cyprus Airlines flying out of Manchester May 13th for £201 including all taxes.

Well done Junkie, Its just a pity we have to spend so much time trawling for great prices.

Easyjet May 14th - 28th Manchester to Paphos return is £140.96 including all taxes and 20k hold luggage.

No food anmd probably no film either though.

HTH

Don&Pam

I've got my April trip sorted but have to go from Heathrow for a decent price.

In June and October when I go i've checked prices and its £320 from Cardiff so will be looking at flying from Heathrow again.

Only one company fly to Larnaca from Cardiff and thats only one flight a week. Absolutely crazy.

British Airways also now doing LGW to Paphos flights, prices reasonable as everything included, BUT, time of flights are awful!!!

Rha, youll probably find those flights are only up until the end of March! or youll be put on an easyjet, as theyve bought the franchise & route

It was gb airways who had flights previously and not BA, I had those booked and had a refund. BA has listed them as new places to fly to.

youll probably find those flights are only up until the end of March! or youll be put on an easyjet, as theyve bought the franchise & route

BA (mainline) have annouced they will be offering a LGW-PFO service from 1st July until 25th October, flying daily. Seats went on sale yesterday. Flight times outbound are; 20:30 - 03:00, inbound 03:50 - 06:35 and operated by a Boeing 737-400.

Darren

Blimey I cant see easyjet being over the moon with that move, especially as they believe they bought the route with GB.

But the more flights the better as we need to try to keep prices competitive and there is still loads of demand.

Only one company fly to Larnaca from Cardiff and thats only one flight a week. Absolutely crazy.

Thomsonfly and Eurocypria will be flying to Larnaca this year. TOM on a Wed, ECA on a Sun
The tour ops using Eurocypria will be Thomas Cook/My Travel/Airtours etc.
First Choice and Thomson are selling on Thomsonfly flights

I knew Thomas Cook were flying from Cardiff this year but pretty pricey.

I was told Thomson were pulling out of Cardiff this year. If i'm wrong then fair enough.

Pricewise its cheaper to travel to Heathrow and fly with Cyprus airways.

Cardiff lad.

Thomson flights (a random date in June and Oct as you had tried)
11th June CWL-LCA £278.98
1st Oct CWL-LCA £218.98

Or First Choice from BRS
15th Jun BRS-LCA £198.98
12th Oct BRS-LCA £248.98

First Choice have pulled out of CWL. But Thomson are continually expanding.
Hope this is some help