A new Greek floatplane operator launching services this month has plans to expand its fleet to 25 aircraft over the next five years.
The airline, operating as AirSea Lines, was due to start services last week using two 18-seat de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter floatplanes from a base on the Greek island of Corfu. It will also serve the islands of Cefalonia, Itiaki, Zakinthos, Lefkada, Paxos and the mainland city of Patra.
The airline had planned to operate from the mainland port of Piraeus near Athens, but has not yet been able to reach agreement with the authorities, so it decided to use Corfu for its operational base initially.
AirSea plans to add services next year to small islands in the Aegean Sea, as the floatplanes do not require any special facilities to be handled. It expects to be operating a fleet of 25 floatplanes by 2009.
Kalymnos Island and Iraklion on the island of Crete were also trial destinations to test local reaction to this new kind of transportation.
The flight from Faliron, near Athens, to Kalymnos lasts 1h 15min, while the Kalymnos to Iraklion sector takes 50min. Local reaction was positive, says AirSea.
GUS VLASSIS / ATHENS
Source: Flight International
