Aviation industry

Passenger traffic at the country's 39 airports increased by 14.4% in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the corresponding period in 2023.

A total of 7,876,353 passengers used the airports in the first three months of the year, compared to 6,884,904 passengers in the first quarter of last year.

In the same period, the number of flights also increased by 7.8% to 70,271.

Passengers traveling through Terminal 2 at Sofia Airport are now greeted with a modern convenience as six new electronic self-check counters for boarding cards have been unveiled. Deputy Minister of Transport Ana Natova and executive director of the airport's concessionaire company, Jesus Caballero, introduced the innovative system aimed at enhancing passenger experience.

Flights to and from Greek airports will be grounded February 28 when air traffic controllers will walk off the job to join a 24-hour nationwide strike public sector union ADEDY demanding pay rises.

Airlines are expected to cancel all the domestic and international flights.

The only the flights allowed will be emergency air transport.

Passenger traffic at Cypriot airports in the year to Friday exceeded the total traffic of the entire pre-pandemic year of 2019, Minister of Transport, Communications and Works Alexis Vafeades said in a statement.

Compared to 2019, this year is expected to show an increase of 3%.

Fraport Greece, which manages the country's 14 largest regional airports, saw its first-half turnover increase 37.4%, to €191 million, compared to the same period in 2022.

Operating profit (EBITDA) rose 25.3%, to €73 million. Passengers reached 11.8 million, of which 73% were international departures and arrivals.