Aviation

Negative reports in local newspapers concerning the new Athens International Airport at Spata, Elefterios Venizelos, may have played a role in the airport’s recent announcement that it will lower airport fees later this year. The newspaper reports concentrated on the lower numbers of flights from the airport to domestic destinations.

Nine of Europe’s leading airlines recently unveiled plans to move into the online travel market with the launch this year of a new online travel service, that sells flights and other travel products direct to the consumer.

With or without Olympic Airways, Axon Airlines, which has emerged as the frontrunner in a privatization tender for Olympic Airways, intends to grow by leaps and bounds. The two-year-old airline last month took formal delivery of five new aircraft – two Boeing 737-400s and three 50-seat Embraer ERJ 145s. The former, because of their size and economy, are considered ideal for the Greek domestic market.

SkyTeam, the global airline alliance founded by Aeromexico, Air France, Delta Air Lines and Korean Air, as well as its newest member, CSA Czech Airlines, held a major bash at the Astir Place last month to inform the Greek travel trade on the many customer benefits available through the alliance.

The Athens Skal Club called on top-level executives from the new Athens international airport to join members for the monthly luncheon and explain why the airport charges are so high. The club’s president, Makis Fokas, welcomed two executives and explained the problems the travel trade faces because of high prices.

Axon Airlines SA, Golden Aviation Services (the Restis shipping group), Integrated Airline Solutions and Cyprus Airways deposited new bids for the purchase of national carrier Olympic Airways. As we go to press, bidders are said to be on their way to London to discuss the bids with tender consultant Credit Suisse First Boston.

Olympic Airways will relocate to the new airport at Spata come March next year following approval from the European Commission for the diversion of funds intended for plane purchases.

Recent increases in the price of petrol pushed the world’s airlines into 10-15% increases in winter fares, but Olympic Airways seems to have gotten carried away and increased at least one of its winter fares – first-class one-way Athens-New York – by 54%.

Athens’s new Eleftherios Venizelos airport at Spata, 13 kilometers out of the capital, last month was handed over by the Hochtief-led consortium that built it in just over four years to the company that will undertake the management until 2030 (The Greek state has a 55-percent stake in the management company, Athens International Airport, while the consortium holds the remaining 45 percent).

The government is willing to meet Olympic Airways’ debts despite the anticipated reaction from the European Union, said Transport Minister Christos Verelis in a recent interview with the Greek daily newspaper Ta Nea.