Athens International Airport

He was caught on arrival at Eleftherios Venizelos Airport on a flight from Switzerland

Malta-based airline Universal Air is next month starting five weekly flights to Greece, increasing the links between the two popular tourism destinations.

The carrier will link Valletta with Corfu three times per week and with Athens twice per week, it stated.

Passenger traffic at Athens International Airport (AIA) rose 20.1% in March 2024, compared to March 2023, with passengers reaching 2 million.

According to AIA statistics, both domestic and international passenger traffic exceeded 2023 levels by 12.6% and 23.5%, respectively.

One after another, islands that until today were considered alternative or generally far off the beaten track are changing in appearance. Astypalaia is now heading in this direction, with plans to build a new village of tourist residences the size of the island's capital, Chora.

The government is finalizing its changes to the Golden Visa program, which will now be addressed to a significantly smaller number of investors. Kathimerini understands there will be several and significant changes.

Flights abroad for the long weekends of Clean Monday and Independence Day on March 25 are showing increased occupancy rates of over 75%.

For those departing this weekend from Athens, the most popular destinations are Oslo, Bologna, Geneva, Amsterdam and Lisbon, while those departing from Thessaloniki mainly travel to Frankfurt, Berlin, Larnaca, Munich and Dusseldorf.

The year 2023 was a record year for the Athens International Airport (AIA) in terms of passengers, though it also made a strong recovery in all economic indicators, its administration said on Wednesday.

The presentation of results was the first after the company's successful entry into the Athens Stock Exchange about a month ago.

Aegean Airlines has secured another slot at London's Heathrow airport and is adding to its schedule a fourth daily flight from Athens to the UK's busiest international hub, it said on Tuesday.

The new flight will operate every day throughout the year except on Saturdays, leaving Athens at 4 p.m. local time and London/Heathrow at 7 p.m. local time.

Greek and foreign airlines are investing even more this year in the strong prospects of Greek tourism, as well as of Athens International Airport.

Athens International Airport (AIA) will implement a three-phase investment plan to increase passenger service capacity in the coming years.

The company that has the airport concession contract until 2046 will proceed in February with the public registration of its share capital through the sale of the 30% stake currently held by TAIPED.