A Sisyphean project to finally commence seaplane routes to Greece’s numerous islands without airports and a handful of coastal or lake-side mainland destinations will again be attempted in September, at least on a pilot basis.
One prospective operator, Grecian Air Seaplanes, this week announced the purchase of three seaplanes, citing a purchase price of 12 million euros. The company, in fact, has pointed to a total investment exceeding 100 million euros when all routes are up and running.
According to the company’s CEO, Tassos Govas, the German fund, via Axionair, is participating in the venture, with paperwork already filed with Greece’s Civil Aviation Authority to acquire certification as an EU air carrier.
Working capital for the company was listed at one million euros.
If all goes according to a business plan, full operations will begin in the spring of 2022, and specifically for connections with Ionian islands, off western mainland Greece, where licensed seaplane routes exist for Corfu, Paxos and the western port city of Patras. Another handful of prospective destinations are nearing a finalization of licensing procedures, all on the Ionian Sea as well.
Routes connecting the Aegean islands and Crete will follow, the company said.
Several attempts over the past 20 years have been made to begin such routes, with entrepreneurs alternately blocked by proverbial modern Greece “red tape”, low passenger capacity on aircraft, and recently, the punishing economic crisis.
