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Fraport Shows Revamp Plans for the 14 ‘Gateways of Greek Tourism’

Zakynthos Airport

Zakynthos Airport

Fraport Greece on Wednesday released plans regarding the projects and development works for the upgrade of the facilities of the 14 Greek regional airports it will soon manage and operate. According to the company’s comprehensive plan, the upgrade works will contribute significantly to improving the overall customer travel experience at the Greek airports, while responding to the expected increase in passenger traffic.

Mykonos Airport

Mykonos Airport

By 2021, Fraport Greece will have invested a minimum of 330 million euros for development works at the airports. During the 40-year concession period the company will implement additional maintenance and upgrading works, as well as capacity expansions (dependent on traffic growth) — resulting in possible total investments of some 1 billion euros (including the minimum 330 million infrastructure investment in the initial phase).

Once Fraport Greece takes over operations before the launch of the summer season, immediate actions at all airports will include general clean-up; improving lighting, marking of airside areas; upgrading sanitary facilities; enhancing services and offering new free Internet connection (WiFi); and implementing works to improve fire safety in all the areas of the airports.

“The above projects are expected to improve the travel experience for passengers at the airports, until the major works are completed in 2021,” the company said in an announcement.

Works at the 14 “gateways of Greek tourism”

Thessaloniki Airport

Thessaloniki Airport

Fraport Greece’s major development works to be implemented during the first four years of the concession period include building five new passenger terminals — at the airports in Thessaloniki, Corfu, Kefalonia, Kos, and Mytilini (Lesvos) — and modifications at other airports. This will result in an increase of 100,000 m2 in terminal size at the 14 airports, reaching a combined total 300,000 m2.

The significant improvements for increasing the total capacity of the airports and the quality of services also include increasing the number of check-in counters from 213 to 297, (+23 percent), the number of security-check lanes from 44 to 84 (+47 percent), the number of departure gates from 103 to 147 (+30 percent), and the number of aircraft parking stands from 115 to 150 (+23 percent).

Refurbishment projects at the 14 airports will be implemented for all 15 runways, the existing terminals (200,000 m2 in total), sanitary facilities (10,000 m2 in total), 14 fire stations, airport apron areas, and 100 diesel generators. Baggage screening systems featuring the latest technology (inline system) will be installed at all of the airports.

An important element of Fraport Greece’s new era for the 14 gateways is to renew and modernize the external and internal image of the airports. “Indeed, the neat and, in some cases new, architectural designs will offer a new image at these 14 ‘gateways of Greek tourism’ – thus creating a pleasant travel experience to millions of passengers every year,” Fraport Greece said.

The following summarizes the enhancement changes that will be implemented per airport (in alphabetical order) under Fraport Greece’s investment plan until 2021:

Aktion Airport (PVK)

• Terminal expansion by 2,381 m2 and refurbishment
• HBS inline screening
• Reorganizing airport apron area
• Refurbishing airside pavement
• 75 percent increase in the number of check-in counters (from 8 to 14)
• 60 percent increase in the number of departure gates (from 5 to 8)
• Doubling the number of security-check lanes (from 2 to 4)

Chania Airport (CHQ) – Crete

• Rearranging the terminal’s internal utilization
• Rearranging the departure gate lounge
• Expanding the security control area
• HBS (Hold Baggage Screening Systems) inline screening
• Expanding the waste water treatment plant or connection to municipal service
• Reorganizing the apron area
• Refurbishing the airside pavement
• 25 percent increase in the number of departure gates (from 8 to 10)
• Doubling the number of security-check lanes (from 4 to 8)

Corfu Airport (CFU)

• New terminal
• Expanding terminal by 10,294 m2 and remodeling current terminal
• HBS (Hold Baggage Screening Systems) inline screening
• Refurbishing and upgrading the fire station
• Reorganizing airport apron area
• Refurbishing airside pavement
• 27 percent increase in the number of Check-in Stations (from 22 to 28)
• 33 percent increase in the number of departure gates (from 9 to 12)
• 33 percent increase in the number of security-check lanes (from 6 to 8)

Kavala Airport (KVA)

• Terminal expansion by 2,029 m2
• Remodeling the current terminal
• HBS inline screening
• Refurbishing and expanding the fire station
• Expanding the waste water treatment plant or connection to municipal service
• Reorganizing the airport apron area
• Refurbishing the airside pavement
• 20 percent increase in the number of check-in counters (from 8 to 10)

Kefalonia Airport (EFL)

• New terminal
• HBS (Hold Baggage Screening Systems) inline screening
• Relocating the waste water treatment plant
• Reorganizing the airport apron area
• Refurbishing airside pavement
• 71 percent increase in the number of check-in counters (from 7 to 12)
• 100 percent increase in the number of departure gates (from 3 to 6)
• Doubling the number of security-check lanes (from 2 to 4)

Kos Airport (KGS)

• New terminal
• New fire station
• Refurbishing/expanding the waste water treatment plant
• 201 percent increase in the total size of the airport at 24,000 m2
• 75 percent increase in the number of check-in counters (from 16 to 28)
• 125 percent increase in the number of security-check lanes (from 4 to 9)

Mykonos Airport (JMK)

• Expanding and remodeling the terminal – 50 percent increase in the total size of the terminal at 13,350 m2, with the construction of a new terminal area
• New fire station
• Reorganizing apron
• 13 percent increase in the number of check-in counters (from 12 to 16)
• 17 percent increase in the number of departure gates (from 6 to 7)
• 25 percent increase in the number of security-check lanes (from 4 to 5)

Mytilini Airport (MJT) – Lesvos

• New terminal
• New fire station
• New waste water treatment plant
• New airport apron area
• 185 percent increase in the total size of the airport at 7,185 m2
• 29 percent increase in the number of check-in counters (from 7 to 9)

Rhodes Airport (RHO)

• Remodeling the current terminal
• Reorganizing the airport apron area
• New fire station
• 13 percent increase in the number of check-in counters (from 40 to 45)
• 13 percent increase in the number of departure gates (from 16 to 18)
• 71 percent in the number of security-check lanes (from 7 to 12)
• 25 percent increase in the number of baggage reclaim belts (from 4 to 5)

Samos Airport (SMI)

• Expanding and remodeling the current terminal
• New fire station
• Reorganizing the airport apron area
• 19 percent increase in the total size of the terminal at 9,605 m2
• 40 percent increase in the number of check-in counters (from 10 to 14)
• 25 percent increase in the number of departure gates (from 4 to 5)
• 50 percent increase in the number of security lanes (from 2 to 3)

Santorini Airport (JTR)

• Expanding and remodeling the current terminal
• New fire station
• Reorganizing the airport apron area
• 236 percent increase in total terminal space at 15,640 m2, by replacing part of the current terminal and constructing a new terminal
• 113 percent increase in the number of check-in counters (from 8 to 17)
• Doubling the number of security-check lanes (from 1 to 2)
• 20 percent increase in the number of departure gates (from 5 to 6)
• 250 percent increase in the number of security-check lanes (from 2 to 7)

Skiathos Airport (JSI)

• Extending and remodeling the current terminal
• Reorganizing the airport apron area
• 39 percent increase in the total size of the airport at 9,511 m2 after an extension of the total size of the current buildings of the terminal
• 11 percent increase in the number of check-in counters (from 9 to 10)
• 33 percent increase in the number of departure gates (from 3 to 4)
• Doubling of security-check lanes (from 1 to 2)

Thessaloniki Airport (SKG)

• New terminal
• Terminal expansion by 30,998 m2 ,incl. new landside access
• Remodeling of existing Terminal
• HBS inline screening
• New fire station
• Expanding the waste water treatment plant or connection to municipal service
• Reorganizing the airport apron area
• Refurbishing airside pavement
• Terminal expansion by 31,380 m2
• 47 percent increase in the number of Check-in Stations (from 30 to 44)
• 75 percent increase in the number of security lanes (from 4 to 7)
• 50 percent increase in the number of departure gates (from 16 to 24)
• Doubling the number of security-check lanes (from 6 to 12)

Zakynthos Airport (ZTH)

• Refurbishing and remodeling current terminal
• HBS inline screening
• Refurbishing air traffic control tower
• New fire station
• Relocating power transformers and generators
• Reorganizing airport apron area
• Refurbishing airside pavement
• Reorganizing landside roads & parking
• New security guardhouse
• 33 percent increase in check-in counters (from 15 to 20)
• 150 percent increase in the number of security-check lanes (from 2 to 5)


According to Fraport Greece, the concession project for the 14 regional airports is the biggest investment in the country’s national tourism industry, with huge benefits at the local and national level. “The concession provides important revenue for the Greek State during a difficult and crucial period and a significant boost for tourism,” the company said.

Furthermore, Fraport Greece’s investment is also expected to help serve as a growth driver for local communities, contributing decisively to their economic development through the increase in tourism traffic, as well as by creating new employment opportunities.

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  1. Vera Reply

    The airport hasn’t been much fun this summer with very overloaded air side waiting areas, sometimes dangerously so, but the new airport when completed, will be fantastic. To complete the feeling of well being would be to have direct flights to U.K during the winter, even if only one per week. We keep our fingers crossed!

  2. Jhonny_Appleseed Reply

    Looks nice.

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