Sitia Airport

[Hameziman]

Just heard from a neighbour in my village - Hamezi, that the new airport building is due to be handed over "in the next few days." Anyone else heard this?

[altohb]

I saw a report 2 or 3 days ago. Let us hope that it is true!

[annabanana]

Hi all
Does this mean more flights? I was wondering how many people are going to use it.
Annabanana

[Jeffstclair]

I shall miss the old one .....jeff

[Mixos]

Great news if it's true, but don't hold your breath -- the new terminal has been ready for months with nobody to run it. However, they've started work again on the Hamezi bypass and the two project did tend to go hand in hand, so maybe this time it really will happen. As for for more flights, Annabanana, I'm still hearing talk of Ryanair trying to get a slot from Stansted during the summer months, but it maybe too late for this year. Other than that, if only they would get rid of Astra Airlines with their absurd and random schedules, and bring in Aegean/Olympic, we might get some flights from Sitia we could actually use

[altohb]

Great news if it's true, but don't hold your breath -- the new terminal has been ready for months with nobody to run it. However, they've started work again on the Hamezi bypass and the two project did tend to go hand in hand, so maybe this time it really will happen. As for for more flights, Annabanana, I'm still hearing talk of Ryanair trying to get a slot from Stansted during the summer months, but it maybe too late for this year. Other than that, if only they would get rid of Astra Airlines with their absurd and random schedules, and bring in Aegean/Olympic, we might get some flights from Sitia we could actually use

It would certainly be wonderful not to have to hike to Heraklion for direct flights to the UK, but I'm not holding my breath, either. Having said that, the possibility of encouraging more (mainly Dutch & German) charter companies to fly to Sitia would obviously help the local economy a lot, which is probably rather more important than the convenience of a few British expats!

[johnincrete]

the possibility of encouraging more (mainly Dutch & German) charter companies to fly to Sitia would obviously help the local economy a lot,

Not if the visitors use all-in-one packages and never emerge from their hotel.

[YoMo2]

Which is all too often the case. But, apparently it is Syriza policy to roll back the tide of all-inclusives............... Who knows what might happen.

Andrew

[altohb]

the possibility of encouraging more (mainly Dutch & German) charter companies to fly to Sitia would obviously help the local economy a lot,

Not if the visitors use all-in-one packages and never emerge from their hotel.

Fortunately, thus far, there is only one (French) hotel in Sitia offering all-in packages, although another is on the way. The German and Dutch visitors who have come in the last couple of years via charter aircraft (including close friends of ours who are the source of my information) stay in local hotels/apartments and spend their money around the town. We all hope that these charters increase in number to bring more revenue to the town.