Airport closing again 13-31 January

Corfu Airport will remain closed from January 13 to January 31 for runway maintenance. The first flight is scheduled to for the morning of February 1.

The runway will be used by helicopters for emergency flights (medical evacuations, search and rescue missions, firefighting, humanitarian, governmental, and other flights of national significance), provided it is necessary and the helicopter is able to approach.

Progress on the Runway Works

Enimerosi contacted Savvas Karayiannis, Head of Corporate Communications at Fraport, who provided updates on the progress of the works. According to Mr. Karayiannis, the project is proceeding well and is on schedule. The work is being carried out in phases, with only one last section of the runway remaining to be restructured.

The ongoing work includes resurfacing, new markings, enhancement of side lighting, and most importantly, the widening of the side safety zones. These new zones are required to meet the updated standards set by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

The work is being carried out by an external contractor working for Fraport.

Completion by May 2025

The work, which is part of a larger project funded by the Recovery and Resilience Fund,, is expected to be completed by May 2025.

Regarding the broader airport infrastructure upgrades, this is a separate project. According to Karayiannis, the start of this project will be announced within the next three months.

EASA Certification

The project is a contractual obligation of Fraport to ensure that Corfu Airport meets the updated safety requirements set by EASA. All airports are required to comply with these standards.

EASA inspectors, in collaboration with the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority, will visit the airport after the completion of the works. Once informed by Fraport, they will conduct inspections to certify that the new safety criteria and limits are met.

However, as Karayiannis pointed out, the certification process does not affect the operation of the airport, as inspections are conducted annually, either on a scheduled or ad-hoc basis.

VASSILIS PANTAZOPOULOS

Photo: FB / Dimitris Roussos