Tourists left stranded on Greek island because of little-known airport rule
A TikTok user has shared her 'journey from hell' after her flight was cancelled at the last minute because of a regulation at the Greek island's airport.
Holidaymakers were left stranded on a Greek island due to an obscure regulation. "I had a journey from hell back from Zante about two days ago," TikTok user NKD Zante recounted in a recent video. "What is meant to be about a four hour journey home ended up being over 24 hours."
The TikToker's ordeal wasn't the result of typical airport turmoil, but rather a little-known Zante rule that turned their holiday exit into a nightmare, reports the Mirror.
"Basically, my flight home was meant to be at 10pm, and at five to 10 I knew we'd be delayed as we weren't boarding the flight. But at literally five to 10 they announced on the speaker 'sorry everyone, flight has been delayed until tomorrow'," NKD Zante detailed.
"We were like, 'what do you mean?' We had to go back to arrivals, get all our luggage. They took us to the front of the airport, gave us 15 euros snack vouchers for some crisps and stuff, and then it was another three hour wait while they tried to organise the rest of us to find a place to stay, transfers.
"They said they had no idea when our flight would be the next morning, and that they'd just text us with the new time the next day. But basically, pretty much everything at Zante Airport shuts at 10pm.
"So if you have booked a really late flight and it gets delayed for whatever reason, past 10pm, they will just delay you to the next day. I didn't know this obviously, but apparently it has happened to six or seven flights in Zante Airport this summer.
"So yeah, lesson learned, don't book a late flight home if you're flying from Zante."
Zakynthos International Airport (ZTH), commonly used as a gateway to idyllic spots like Santorini and Kefalonia, has enforced restrictions on night flights since the early '90s in order to safeguard loggerhead sea turtles, which are endemic to the Mediterranean Sea and use the surrounding shores for nesting grounds.
The conservation of these beaches is paramount as they play host to a significant portion of the Mediterranean's loggerhead turtle population—estimated to account for 80% of all nesters.
The preservation of their habitats is of profound importance, given that loggerhead sea turtles are listed as an endangered species facing challenges such as habitat disruption and interference by humans.
During the night-time, the loggerhead sea turtles are especially susceptible to disturbances; the extra noise and illumination from aircraft can drastically interfere with the nesting behaviour of the turtles.
Such disturbances can pose adverse effects on the marine reptiles and their offspring. In a bid to mitigate the disruption, Zakynthos Airport has enforced a night-time curfew, spanning from dusk to 7 am, effectively grounding flights during the turtles' peak hours of activity.
Elsewhere in Greece, islands are also taking steps to safeguard the turtles, such as imposing night-time restrictions on accessing nesting beaches and toning down artificial lighting.
These collective efforts help ensure both nesting females and hatchlings have the optimal chance of survival.
For those planning a trip to Zakynthos this summer, Travel Republic offers the following guidance: "Night flights to and from Zakynthos are limited as part of a long-standing effort to protect the island's endangered loggerhead turtles.
"This reflects a growing commitment across the travel industry to support responsible tourism and environmental conservation.
"It's certainly something for holidaymakers to be aware of, but by adjusting flight schedules to align with local curfews, airlines and travel providers are helping safeguard the ecosystem."
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