8% increase in international passenger flights in September
CORFU. This year΄s tourist season is expected to end at Corfu Airport around 10-12 November.
There was an 8% increase in the number of international passenger flights at Corfu Airport in the first month of autumn, compared to last September.
This percentage increase, along with the same percentage in June, is the best performance at Corfu Airport for this year's season in terms of international flights.
According to Dimitris Roussos, President of Corfu Civil Aviation Employees Union, there were 1,985 international passenger flights in September, compared to 1,835 in the same month last year - 150 more flights.
UK top of the list
Once again, the UK emerges as number one with 672 flights, compared to 626 in September 2022. Germany follows in second place, with 373 flights (up from 339), followed by Italy with 157 (down from 169), Poland with 156 (up from 135), the Czech Republic with 88 (up from 66), France with 83 (down from 86), Austria with 48 (up from 42), the Netherlands with 45 (up from 43), Hungary and Belgium with 41 flights each (up from 30/35), Romania with 40 (down from 43), Ireland with 32 (up from 28), and Slovakia with 23 (up from 15).
40 additional flights
Mr. Roussos told Enimerosi that October is expected to have a positive outcome as well, as an additional 40 flights have been added. Ryanair, in particular, has 28 more flights to 9 destinations, including Athens. "We see a few more dates being added, extending the programme by a few days from East Midlands, Manchester, Birmingham, Dublin, Brussels, Cologne, Venice and Rome. For Athens, where initially flights were scheduled to end on September 28, we see another 7 flights being added in October," he said.
Additionally, Jet2 has added 11 extra flights, including four from East Midlands, three from London and four from Newcastle, with the final date being October 30th.
Increased numbers again this year
Apart from April, which ended with 55 fewer international flights (407 compared to 462) and May, which had a marginal increase of four additional flights (1,060 compared to 1,056), this year's season at Corfu Airport saw an increase in the number of international flights. Specifically, June recorded an 8% increase in international flights, July had a 5% increase, August saw a 3% increase and September recorded an 8% increase.
The current season is expected to conclude at Corfu Airport around November 10-12, when the airlines' flight programme for 2023 is completed.
Airport closures
Corfu Airport will be closed for two separate fortnights during the winter, both before and after the festive season, in order to continue improvement work on the runway. According to Fraport's NOTAM, Corfu Airport will be closed from November 21st to December 4th and from January 16th to January 29th, 2024. During the closure, only helicopter air ambulance flights will be possible.
MARIA BAZDRIYIANNI
