How to get out of Cyprus To US ASAP?
 

There was a flight to London cancelled yesterday and I heard the next flight out isn't for 2 weeks and now I wonder if there will be enough seats for everyone who wants to get out on that flight.
Is there another way out? Can people pool together to charter a jet out to London or even to Athens and then get a commercial flight out of Athens?

Someone said maybe a ferry to Tasucu and then a 3 day bus ride to Athens, but that sounds like a nightmare.

Are you in the TRNC or Rep. of Cyprus?

If you board the ferry to Taşucu, Mersin, be aware that Turkish Authorities would reject you if you have been to more than one of the 70+ countries in the last 15 days, however both Rep. of Cyprus and TRNC is not in the list. Also, be aware that Greece would not accept you from their Turkish land border if you are not an EU/EEA/CH citizen.

All international flights from Turkey are canceled and the last Qatar Airways and Ethiopian flights from Turkey have already departed yesterday.

Your best way to reach back to the USA is to charter a plane to the UK or another country that does not have an entry restriction at the moment, and take a scheduled flight to the USA.

You haven't specified your nationality.

Many countries have organised charter flights or have special arrangements. This is UK advice as of 30 March:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-a...turn-to-the-uk
Beware there are a lot of rip-off TAs around!

If you are in the Republic of Cyprus, have you tried contacting your country's embassy or consulate? Note that some countries do not have embassies in Nicosia but deal with Cyprus business through their embassies in Greece or Israel.

I think the OP is a US citizen as the title of this thread is "How to get out of Cyprus To US ASAP?" but could also be a Green Card holder, etc...

https://www.usembassy.gov/cyprus/
The USA has an embassy at Nicosia

This is for US citizens going to school in Cyprus as international students for the last year and haven’t been off the island since 2019. School and housing shut down and they need to go back home, but can’t get out due to canceled flights.

Are chartered flights going to be allowed in and out? I don’t understand why commercial flights would be canceled unless the government was blocking traffic.

They should contact the embassy in Nicosia, I'm pretty sure that the USA would arrange something for them.

Just wondering.. have you had any contact with any US embassy/government group... also how many students are you talking about?
I think your best option is to let the embassy know you are stuck and how many of you are there.

good luck and hope you make it home safe.

Both the Rep. of Cyprus and TRNC is blocking traffic and not allowing commercial passenger flights except repatriation flights.

How many students are in the group? If this was organized by a college or university in the USA, they should be responsible for helping you to arrange travel back to the USA. Larger institutions have study abroad staff as well as staff who administer travel policies.

head to Tel Aviv and take United to New York...uncertain whether transit through Ben Gurion as a non Israeli is allowed though. Ferry to Israel? Other? Just a thought whether or not my though has legs up to you

Don't do anything until you speak with the Embassy in Nicosia. Do not delay.

What a tragedy if there is a US-organized evac. flight and your people are not on it because they are chasing solutions which are already handled.

Contact the US Embassy and also the congressmen and senators of the students. Get US press attention also. Sounds like a strange situation if this isn't known already to US authorities. More to the story?

I am not sure where the view that the State Department is not aware of the situation comes from. Nothing in the OP suggests that he has even reached out to the US Embassy.

The website for the US Embassy in Nicosia carries a prominent statement on its splash page given that the Embassy is physically closed to foot traffic. A telephone number is also supplied for those with an immediate emergency.

No need to stir up panic by suggesting to the media that nothing is being done when it really is incumbent on a US citizen overseas to do his best to reach out to the nearest Embassy (or consulate) as the case may be. There is also a 24/7 State Department hotline.

"U.S. citizens in Cyprus who require assistance should email the Embassy at [email protected]. "

Israel has put in place very restrictive protocols since early March. Do not try to use TLV as a gateway to anywhere else. You won't be allowed to board a flight ... or be allowed entry at a port. SEE YOUR EMBASSY.