NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said: “Today’s training event demonstrates the United States’ powerful commitment to NATO, and Allied solidarity in action. As US bombers overfly all 30 NATO Allies in a single day, they are being accompanied by fighter jets from across the Alliance, boosting our ability to respond together to any challenge. Training events like this help ensure that we fulfil our core mission: to deter aggression, prevent conflict, and preserve peace.”

Aircraft from 20 NATO Allies are expected to fly alongside the US bombers: Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.

Based at the 5th Bomb Wing, Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, the B-52s arrived in Europe on 22 August, flying into Royal Air Force Fairford in the United Kingdom. Earlier this week, the bombers also exercised together with Norwegian F-16 and F-35 fighter aircraft off the coast of Norway.

Since 2018, the US has conducted more than 200 Bomber Task Force sorties with Allies and partners. Most recently, this involved B-1B Lancer flights over the Nordic, Baltic, and Black Sea regions in May, as well as an air policing overflight of North Macedonia, NATO’s newest member. In June, B-52H Stratofortresses conducted flights over the Arctic Ocean, and later took part in BALTOPS, the largest annual exercise in the Baltic Sea.

According to the above plan Stratofortress bomber aircraft overfly Skiathos on 28 August 2020.

First charter flight at Skiathos arrived at 10:06 local time from Belgrade. It was Air Serbia flight JU-9256/9257 with Airbus A319 (registration YU-APE).

The return flight to Belgrade was scheduled to depart Skiathos as JU-9257 at 20:00 Local time.

Few minutes later a second flight arrived at Skiathos, Condor DF-1690 from Dusseldorf with Airbus A320 (D-AICA).

Both arrivals welcomed at Skiathos with water salute from the airport.

Due COVID-19 crisis old apron is back in use. The airplanes using old no1 parking stand in order passengers walk in/out the terminal without using busses (social distance).

Here is Condor Airbus A320 parked at the old apron. After 2018 old apron used only for turboprop aircraft (maximum C-130).

Both arrivals streamed live on skiathoslandings.com youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd79lyy07Gjq5DjPyf0nLbw

First Flights at Skiathos index
First Charter Flight for season 2021: HERE
First Charter Flight for season 2020: HERE
First Charter Flight for season 2019: HERE
First Charter Flight for season 2018: HERE
First Charter Flight for season 2017: HERE

The Deputy Minister of Civil Protection arrived at Skiathos airport on 29/6/2020 for the preparations of the beginning of charter flights on Wednesday July 1, 2020 after the reopening of all Greek airports, during COVID-19 crisis (Relevant video below).

We did not publish any information till now since everything is subject to change.

Unfortunately COVID-19 crisis was not treated by EU countries as one; instead each country followed individual procedures without any interface with the rest 24 EU countries.

Maybe that was not a big problem for some countries, but for some other countries will be critical… “Will” because we will see the financial impact later this year, in November-December.

The impact of COVID-19 on air transport cannot be calculated precisely. Revenue from tourism industry is the major income for the Greek economy.

Missing of common procedures by EU members on COVID-19 fight seems to be a bigger enemy than COVID-19 itself. Nobody can book a flight without risking losing his money.

So here we are talking about trust on an industry. How clients (passengers) will trust the air transport to schedule and book their holidays?

Even when a vaccine will be available for COVID-19, the matter of trust will remain, since we may have COVID-20, 21 etc…

We are writing this text 24 hours before the first flight of the season, but are we still waiting to see if finally Air Serbia will be allowed to arrive in Skiathos. We understand that situation with COVID-19 is continuously changing every day, but also some people should understand that air transport and tourism cannot follow those rapid sort-term notice changes…

For the moment regarding Skiathos airport traffic, the following airlines withdrawn their schedules for 2020:

Blue Panorama (Milan-Malpensa, Bergamo, Rome)

British Airways City Flyer (London-City)

Arkia (Tel Aviv)

Changes – Reductions

TUI postponed their schedules from 1 July to: later than August 1, 2020. However as of June, 29 2020, TUI begins complete cancellation of Greek destinations for 2020, such as Preveza.  However, Greece may open the borders for UK travelers after 15 July 2020.

On Friday, July 3, 2020, an Enter Air from London-Gatwick, was supposed to arrive at Skiathos. We will never find out if there were bookings on that flight, since they are not allowed to land before 15 of July.

Scandinavian Airlines – SAS reduced from 8 weekly flights to 1 (Copenhagen only).

Volotea will start just one flight from Italy on 7 July 2020 (Venice) but for a very short period till early September.

We will publish more details for Skiathos traffic 2019 vs 2020 later in July.