Strong wind reroute flights on Crete

Nearly 400 passengers traveling between Cyprus and Crete experienced delays and a good deal of hassle after gale-force winds caused their flights to be rerouted on Tuesday.

Both incidents concerned a Ryanair flight from and to the resort city of Paphos on the southwestern coast of Cyprus, state broadcaster ERT reported.

The incoming flight from Paphos, carrying 181 passengers, was originally intended to land in Hania on Monday afternoon but was delayed due to the weather. It was still unable to approach the airport on Crete’s northwestern end on Tuesday morning and was rerouted to Iraklio to the east.

The same airplane conducted the return flight back to Paphos, also taking off from Iraklio instead of Hania, with 193 passengers on board.

The passengers on both flights were ferried the 140 or so kilometers between the two airports by bus.