The islands of Corfu and Paxi will soon be able to allow seaplane flights to land there after Deputy Infrastructure and Transport Minister Michalis Papadopoulos approved the licences needed to found and operate seaplane bases.
The decision followed the certification of the existing licences by port authorities in Corfu and Paxi, respectively, using the transitional statutes of the new legal framework. The licences were originally issued in 2014, again with Papadopoulos as minister, but had remained inactive since that time.
Also pending are the licences issued for seaplane bases in Volos and Rethymno, where the necessary infrastructure has not yet been built.
In statements, Papadopoulos noted that "the first steady steps toward creating a network of seaplane bases in Greece have been taken after many years" and that if investor interest is expressed the two islands will now be able to receive seaplane flights, allowing Greece to soon acquire a form of flight transport that is suited to its geography and will promote tourism and the economy.