Late in the evening the two relevant NOTAMS are not valid.

Here some shots of HCAA Cessna 750 Citation X.

PAPI lights are inoperative for many months but the problem in September is that some evening flights arriving in the dark, compared with August biggest daylight duration.

Below the NOTAM notice that PAPI lights of runway 20 are unserviceable between 30 August and 30 September 2017.

B0812/17 NOTAMR B0728/17

1. Q) LGGG/QLPAS/IV/BO /A /000/999/3910N02330E005
2. A) LGSK B) 1708300753 C) 1709302059
3. E) SKIATHOS PAPI LIGHTS RWY 20 U/S.

Below the NOTAM notice that PAPI lights of runway 02 (used mostly be almost 95% of the year for landings) are on test between 17 September and 30 September 2017.

B0844/17 NOTAMN

1. Q) LGGG/QLPCT/IV/BO /A /000/999/3910N02330E005
2. A) LGSK B) 1709121553 C) 1709302359
3. E) SKIATHOS RWY 02 PAPI LIGHTS ON TEST AWAITING FLIGHT CHECK.

Both NOTAMS for PAPIS are “repetitive” for the last 14-16 month and updated every month!

The airlines probably notice that after so many months and due sort runway they start cancelling schedule night flights.

On Sunday September 17 one SAS flight from Goteborg and a Thomas Cook UK flight from London-Gatwick canceled** and flew one day later (today September 18). Actually Thomas Cook  flight 1106 flew all the way till Skopelos and then diverted to Thessaloniki. During Saturday morning another SAS flight ask the ATC for the PAPI status in order to inform the operations in Scandinavia for the upcoming Sunday’s night flight.

Below, the two canceled flights of Sunday 17th, operated finally on Monday 18^th, as seen on skiathoslandings.com Real Time Flight board.

*PAPI= Precision Approach Path Indicator (lights) is a certified visual aid, that provides guidance information to pilots acquire and maintain the correct approach path when descending in final approach to a runway. PAPI lights located on the left side the runway (because of the captain’s side) after the touchdown point for the runway (on image below the PAPI light of runway 02 at Skiathos)

**Cancellation of flights due unserviceable PAPI lights are according to each company minima. We make that notice since many airlines during 2016 and 2017 are performing flights during night with PAPI unserviceable.

According to HCAA a calibration flight for PAPI certification will take place on September 20 or 21, 2017.

the new destination is London-City and BA City Flyer is the airline operating three flights per week to Skiathos with Embraer 190.

Flight CJ-2225 London City – Skiathos 12:30 (Local)

Flight CJ-2224 Skiathos 13:15 – London City

First flight from London City arrived at Skiathos on June 26, 2017 with G-LCYP

Last flight will be on September 6, 2017.

MT1432 BHX0540 0910ZTH
MT1433 ZTH1030 1410BHX
MT1106 LGW0725 1055JSI
MT1107 JSI1155 1530LGW
MT1418 BRS0600 0945JSI
MT1419 JSI1045 1130KVA
MT1419 KVA1215 1550BRS
MT1194 MAN0500 0845JSI
MT1195 JSI0945 1030KVA
MT1195 KVA1120 1505MAN
MT1124 MAN0600 1010HER
MT1125 HER1110 1530MAN

We will do all we can to minimize any delays and therefore customers are requested to check in as usual and check the departure boards for updates. We apologies for any disruption.

(end of Thomas Cook Airlines announcement)

Updates also on Flight Board of skiathoslandings.com

Starting from May 4, 2017, Germania will add 2 new traveling options to Athens International Airport’s destination network. Every Monday and Thursday, Germania now will connect the Greek capital to Bremen and starting on June 12th, 2017, to the city of Nuremberg. The arrival of Germania`s aircraft in Athens was welcomed with a shower ceremony, which also marks the kick-off of the code share-agreement with Sky Express.

Timetable for Flights between Athens and Bremen / Nuremberg

According code-share agreement between Sky Express and Germania, signed on January 11, 2017, the two Germania flights (Bremen and Nuremberg) with offering through Athens airport connections between the two German cities and Greek domestic Sky Express network to the following routes:

Germania operated by Sky Express
Athens – Astypalaia
Athens – Ikaria Island
Athens – Karpathos
Athens – Kythira
Athens – Mykonos
Athens – Paros
Athens – Skiathos
Athens – Syros Island
Athens – Thira
Athens – Zakinthos

Ticket sales are available from both airlines’ websites.

Sky Express since early April operate Skiathos flight with ATR72-500. It is the biggest capacity airplane of Sky Express fleet delivered last month (more details here).

Photo from January 11, 2017 agreement between Sky Express and Germania.

“With the Bremen to Athens flight, Germania starts a new chapter today in its relationship with Sky Express. Through our code-share agreement, we each bring strong regional competence to our operating markets and as a result, customers have new flight options via Athens to travel seamlessly between the Greek islands and German airports”, said Karsten Balke, CEO of Germania Airlines (photo below right).

In opening Germania’s new Athens routes, Ioanna Papadopoulou, Director, Communications and Marketing of Athens International Airport (photo below), noted: “We are delighted with Germania’s launch of 2 new services to and from Athens. With flights to the exciting cities of Bremen and Nuremberg, this new choice for passengers enhances connectivity between Greece and the German market, which demonstrated a growth of 16% in 2016 and continues its successful performance. We wish all the best to Germania and we are committed to supporting our new airline partner towards a very successful presence in the Athens market.”

“We are pleased to welcome Germania in Athens. Our cooperation will considerably expand the network of holiday destinations available to the market, since passengers from Germany now have a wide range of destinations to choose in the Greek islands via Sky Express. Connecting Greek islands with German airports will further boost touristic growth of the Greek islands” said Niki Karagkoule-Karageorgou, CEO of Sky Express.

Bremen, the buzzing city on the Weser river, has many different facets. Character-laden streets, welcoming local people and a fantastic programme of music and culture all contribute to its appeal. With a fascinating history and its Hanseatic heritage, Bremen offers innovation with a maritime flair.  The tenth-largest city in Germany has a charm all of its own.

Nuremberg is the second largest city in Bavaria and is famous for gingerbread, toys and its unique Christmas markets. The old city of Nuremberg has preserved the old-world charm of a classic German city: half-timbered houses, gothic churches and a medieval city wall all in the shadow of the towering imperial castle. On the other hand, Nuremberg and its neighboring cities are home to many of Germany’s best-known companies. Nuremberg also lives up to its culinary expectations with fantastic breweries and beer

gardens and, of course its signature dish, Nuremberg sausages with Sauerkraut.

The welcome of fisrt Germania flight to Athens.

During first quarter of 2017 traffic in terms of passengers increased by 6,6% to 5.980.112 compared with 5.611.578 of equal period 2016 (increase of 328.534 passengers).

However the above numbers served by -1.4% number of flights.

Domestic traffic reduced by -3.7% while international increased by 2.4%.

Paros, Mykonos and Skiathos airports notice the greatest increase of traffic.

• Paros Airport (PAS/LGPA) 10.313 passengers +114,5%
• Mykonos Airport (JMK/LGMK) 39.515 passengers +98,9%
• Skiathos Airport (LGSK/JSI) 2.792 passengers +62.7%

Skiathos Airport

The increase of passenger traffic during winter 2017 (Jan, Feb Mar) is a result of four weekly flights instead of two in the previous years.

Sky Express extra two flights increase the traffic up to 2.792 passengers compared with 1.716 passengers of same period 2016.

More details about Sky Express flights started October 2016 can be found here.

Few years ago (2010-2011) there was a small demand of tourists from Israel to Skiathos. That time Aegean Airlines was the airline supposed to perform few flights with A320.

Finally we came to 2017 to see a direct flight from Tel-Aviv to Skiathos from Arkia with Embraer 190LR.

The flights are transferring employees of an Israel Bank branch to the island for their vacations during low season offers program by some tour operators.  But even this period of flights will be an opportunity for the island to offer extensive vacations to Israel tourist in the future.

Originally Tel Aviv connection with Skiathos appears to be all summer 2017 but with Cypriot Tus Airways. Some flights with that airline are not yet confirmed, but looks like slots request where for the same groups that Arkia finally fly.

There are just seven (7) flights during May 2017 only as follows:

IZ-087/088 LTV-JSI 1955/2055 JSI-TLV E190 on 9,12,15,18,21,24 and 27 May 2017

(Special thanks Mike Lellas for Arkia E-190 photo at Corfu airport)

Below photos from first flight from Tel Aviv by Arkia Airlines on May 9, 2017 with Embraer 190LR (4X-EMB).