Hermes Airports
| Primary URL | Location | Industry | hermesairports[.]com |
Country
Cyprus
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Transportation
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Profile
Hermes Airports is the operator responsible for managing the civil airports located in Cyprus. The organisation oversees the day‑to‑day operations of Larnaca International Airport and Paphos International Airport. Its core activities include maintaining airport infrastructure, coordinating passenger and aircraft services, and ensuring the smooth functioning of terminal facilities. Hermes Airports also works with airlines, ground handlers, and other stakeholders to provide a seamless travel experience. The organisation’s mandate extends to safety, security, and the provision of essential airport amenities.
The organisation’s operational footprint covers two major gateways on the island, with Larnaca Airport handling the larger share of passenger traffic. According to reports of the October 2024 cyber incident, Larnaca experienced significant passenger queues and prolonged processing times, indicating a higher volume of travellers. In contrast, Paphos Airport was described as having lower traffic, which resulted in milder impacts during the same event. This difference in traffic levels highlights the varying scale of activity across the two airports under Hermes Airports’ management. The organisation therefore serves both a busy international hub and a smaller regional airport within Cyprus.
Hermes Airports functions as a critical infrastructure provider, responsible for the security and operational continuity of Cyprus’s aviation gateways. In October 2024, the organisation faced a series of cyberattacks attributed to the group LulzSec Black, which targeted police control systems at the airports and checkpoints. The attacks prompted emergency upgrades to those systems, causing temporary disruptions and longer queues at Larnaca while Paphos saw comparatively milder effects. Following the incident, authorities restored functionality and kept the airports on high alert, with cybersecurity experts noting the attacks may have tested defenses rather than aimed at data theft. The episode underscored the importance of robust cyber preparedness for airport operators and highlighted Hermes Airports’ role in safeguarding national aviation infrastructure.