New Carrier Naxosair to Serve Greek Isles in 2017?

Naxosair founder Jörg Pommer at Paros Airport testing a Cessna Caravan EX flight earlier this month.

A new carrier based in Austria and connecting European cities with the Greek isle of Naxos as well as surrounding island destinations is set to take off in 2017, according to media reports.

Naxosair, a subsidiary of Greenair Aviation GmbH, aims to step in where other airlines can’t, offering services to high profile travelers wishing to visit Naxos and other Cycladic islands quickly. The aviation start-up aims to support air-transportation and infrastructure of the Cycladic islands. Comfort and immediate air transportation are at the top of the new company’s agenda, which also includes contributing to the extension of the tourist season on the island with friendly rates.

Plans for Naxosair have been in the pipeline for the past 25 years, the company’s founder, Austrian businessman Jorg Pommer, said during a presentation of the airline at Naxos Airport earlier this month with a Naxosair airplane – a new 12-seater Cessna Grand Caravan EX – already on the runway.

Pommer believes the airline will boost tourism revenue as it will make travel between the islands – often time-consuming and costly by ferry – easier and more accessible.

“There is enormous potential on the islands. The tourist season could be extended, at least on Naxos, by an additional two months; on Paros too, but most importantly, there must be a professional transportation service catering to high profile tourists,” Pommel told local media outlet Naxospress.gr.

“The ferries are great, but quality tourism needs quality transportation. Many visitors do not wish to travel for several hours on a ship and wait half an hour for their luggage,” he added.

In the meantime, test flights were carried out from Mykonos to Naxos and other Cycladic islands on July 13-15.