Athens Aviation Market: Positive Signs For 2014/15 Winter Season

Yiannis Paraschis, CEO of Athens Airport.

In the context of a significant increase of Athens’ network and connectivity, Athens International Airport (AIA) recently presented the positive developments in the city’s aviation market since the beginning of the year and the prospects in view of the winter period.

According to AIA, the signs for the 2014/15 winter period are positive, with the Athens network significantly reinforced, adding 107 new international weekly and 85 domestic flights.

It is reminded that in the first 9 months of the year, Athens Airport recorded a 19.4 percent increase in traffic, two million additional passengers, 168 new weekly international flights and a 28 percent increase of the city’s foreign visitors and double-digit growth of almost all international geographical regions.

Also, 15 percent of the Athens traffic is served by 16 low cost carriers, covering a network of 40 destinations.

“Eleftherios Venizelos” marks top position amongst European airports

According to AIA, with two million additional seats, or a 16 percent increase, since the beginning of the year, Athens Airport gained the top position amongst all European airports in passenger traffic, flights and capacity increase, with M. East, N. American and Asian carriers marking impressive double-digit traffic increases.

In total, in 2014, with 15 new destinations and additional flights in 33 served destinations, Athens Airport offers a network of 108 destinations, with significantly increased connectivity.

Supported by the airport’s developmental and targeted incentives and – mainly – by the network development of Aegean Airlines, transfer traffic grew considerably; from January to September 2014, total transfer traffic rose by 14.8 percent on a year-to-year basis, representing 22 percent of the airport’s total traffic and international-to-international transfer traffic recorded a significant 61 percent increase. In addition, domestic-to-international transfer traffic (76 percent of total transfer) increased by 12.5 percent.

Moreover, AIA presented a special new initiative focusing on “destination Athens,” which allows passengers and city visitors to voice their opinion on the issue of the return of the Parthenon sculptures to Greece.