Crete’s Kastelli Airport Tender Extended to June 27

Impression of Kastelli airport.

The bidding process for the financing, construction and operation of the new Kastelli airport project in Heraklion, Crete, has been extended until June 27, Infrastructure Minister Christos Spirtzis said, adding that six parties have thus far expressed interest.

“Six groups have expressed interest, five of which participated in consultations and requested an extension of the deadline in order to cooperate with the banks financing them towards the evaluation of all the terms that have changed,” the minister told a parliamentary session this week.

Mr Spirtzis went on to add that according to plans the final contract of the airport – expected to handle more than seven million passengers per year, becoming Greece’s second biggest – will be signed immediately upon completion of the tender. The airport is set to be operational in 2018, and will replace the current Nikos Kazantzakis airport in Heraklion.

Mr Spirtzis explained that the deadline, initially for May 6, was extended due to the complexity of the project and the significance to the local community and economy.

“Terms of the project were changed in order to avoid the same delays or claims by contractors, but also by the concessionaires, and in efforts to protect the public interest,” he said.