Greece Plans to Launch Tenders for 22 Regional Airports in Q2 2024

Astypalea Airport. Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)

Greek authorities are expected to launch a new round of privatizations of  22 smaller regional airports in the summer of 2024 pushing back initial plans announced by Hellenic Corporation of Assets and Participations (HCAP) CEO Grigoris Dimitriadis.

Dimitriadis had confirmed that the tenders would begin in the first quarter of 2024 during the 24^th Prodexpo conference last fall. New reports place the privatization process, which will be implemented through private-public partnerships, several months later.

The privatization program, to include modernization and upgrade projects, concerns the regional airports of Alexandroupolis, Araxos, Astypalea, Chios, Ikaria, Ioannina, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Kasos, Kastelorizo, Kastoria, Kozani, Kythira, Leros, Lemnos, Milos, Nea Anchialos, Naxos, Paros, Sitia, Skyros and Syros.

Kalamata International Airport. Photo source: Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCCA)

Meanwhile, an individual tender for Kalamata International Airport in the Peloponnese, has attracted the interest of four investors: Egis Airport Operation – Aktor Concessions Single Member SA – Aéroports de la Cote d’Azur, Fraport AG – Delta Airport Investments SA, Pileas SA, GEK Terna SA – GMR Airports Limited, and Mytilineos SA – Corporation America Airports SA. Authorities said the project is now in the second phase and the final concession for the 40-year right to manage the airport will be announced by March 2024.

According to the same reports, Greek authorities are also examining the possibility of converting the Nea Anchialos airport into a cargo facility.