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The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
The major new £422million airport set to transform European island with 18million passengers a year
GREECE'S biggest island is getting a huge new £422million airport. Heraklion, on the island of Crete, is currently preparing for a new airport in Kastelli which is scheduled to open in February 2027. 4 4 4 According to the New Heraklion International Airport, the new airport will serve 10million passengers each year, after opening. This number will then rise to 18million after some time. There will be 19 boarding gates, eight of which will be of combined use for Schengen and Non-Schengen flights. There will be space for 27 aircraft and also a terminal building with five levels of retail space and permanent exhibition areas. A masterplan map also shows an area shaded in purple that suggest future retail space. In addition, the airport is due to be one of the biggest in the country and when it opens it will replace the existing Nikos Kazantzakis International Airport in Heraklion. Nikos Kazantzakis International Airport opened back in 1937, however, it can only accommodate eight million passengers a year. Greece each year. The airport will be located a 25-minute drive away from Heraklion, which is the largest city on the island. In total, the airport is expected to cost €500million (£422million) to build and generate a total of 7,500 jobs in the area as well as a further 37,000 indirect jobs. The new £7billion mega terminal opening at Changi Airport In addition, the new airport is expected to give new life to Crete's tourism. According to Tornos News, the new airport will create a number of new roads and contain one runway which stretches 3,200 metres long with one parallel aircraft movement taxiway, A trial launch of of the airport will take place next summer, before a full opening in 2027. Currently, airlines including easyJet, Jet2 and British Airways fly to Crete. These are likely to move to the new airport when it opens. And there are a number of other new exciting airports opening around the world. A new £25billion mega airport is also opening in Europe to 'take on Heathrow and Dubai' with 65milllion passengers. Plus, one of the world's busiest airports reveals plans for new £7billion mega terminal with 50million more passengers.
Daily Mirror
31-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Greece in last-minute scramble as it prepares for huge 28.2m tourist boom
Greece is struggling to cope with skyrocketing demand, despite escalating anti-tourist sentiment, with a staggering 28.2million airline seats scheduled for the summer season Greece is struggling to keep up with its insatiable demand ahead of what is predicted to be a record-breaking summer. Last year, the country and its collection of postcard-worthy islands witnessed a staggering 40.7 million international visitors - a sharp 12.8 per cent increase compared to 2023. The influx is believed to generate €21.6 billion in tourism revenue (around £18.12 billion), highlighting the dependency the country's economy holds on the hospitality sector. Despite escalating anti-tourist sentiment and measures to clamp down on overwhelming crowds - through initiatives like a higher tourist tax - Greece is now scrambling to prepare for an even busier summer. According to Tornos News, a whopping 28.2 million airline seats on international flights to the country are scheduled between March 30 and October 25. However, there is one thing the country seems to be missing. Tourist-reliant businesses say around 80,000 jobs need to be filled to keep up with growing visitor numbers - but many are finding it impossible to fill vacancies. Nationwide shortages of hotel receptionists, cleaners, lifeguards, waiters, and chefs are panicking hoteliers and restaurant owners, who desperately need more staff to keep up with the summer boom. It has been reported that on popular islands such as Crete and Rhodes - hoteliers are poaching employees from rivals with promises of better pay and improved working conditions. The government is reportedly seeking to legalise the status of around 30,000 unregistered migrants so they can fill gaps in employment. Asylum seekers will also be offered jobs in northern Greece later this month, where they will receive training from hotel giants. In an interview with the Guardian, Giorgos Hotzoglou, president of the Panhellenic Federation of Workers in Food Service and Tourism (POEET) said the problem stems all the way back from the Covid-19 pandemic. And while all European countries are experiencing similar issues - it is 'particularly acute' in Greece. "What we're seeing is an unprecedented lack of qualified and experienced workers, especially in the hotel and food industry, following the exodus of employees during the lockdown," he added. "Many never returned [and] as a result - an estimated 80,000 jobs are now needed." If you're deterred by the summer surge in Greece, it might be worth visiting in the off-peak season. You can fly directly to a slew of Greek destinations - including Athens and Thessaloniki, from most major UK airports. If you're flexible with dates, you can grab return fares for as little as £48 in December. Accommodation is likely to be more affordable during the winter months too. For example, a week's stay (Monday, December 1 -8) at the The Residence Aiolou Hotel & Spa in Athens will only set you back £520. This is based on two adults sharing an Economy Room. In August (Monday 4-11) the same hotel costs almost double, currently priced at £966.
