Following the suspension of flights by Astra Airlines (Thessaloniki) last month, SKY Express (Greece) (GQ, Irakleion) has added two further domestic routes to its portfolio, seizing the opportunity left behind by its former competitor's absence.
From December 1, Sky Express will link Athens to Kastoria and Kozani, both with a 3x weekly ATR42-500 service. The route to Kastoria will be flown direct on Thursdays, whereas on Tuesdays and Saturdays it will operate via Kozani. The sector to Kozani is the reverse, with direct flights from Athens on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and a stop-over in Kastoria on Thursdays.
With the addition of Kozani and Kastoria, Sky Express increases its destination list to 34 points.
President and Chief Executive Officer of Sky Express, Theodoros Krokidas said: “Underlining our strong commitment to support the Greek economy, as well as the tourism sector, Sky Express continues to strengthen its domestic network with these two destinations, offering a convenient schedule and even more choices to both leisure and business passengers alike. These two new destinations will allow easier access to local and foreign visitors to just about every corner of the country, significantly stimulating local economies by prolonging the all-year tourist season.”
According to the ch-aviation PRO airlines module, Sky Express has a mixed fleet of thirteen ATR - Avions de Transport Régional aircraft, with one ATR42-320, SX-NIK (msn 291), two ATR42-500s, SX-FOR (msn 524) and SX-GRI (msn 534), and an ATR72-500, SX-FIV (msn 590), all currently inactive during the carrier's off season. Athens is the carrier's biggest operation, controlling 40% of its weekly seat capacity, ahead of Irakleion (6.5%) and Mytilene (6.0%).
Astra Airlines was granted temporary relief from creditors by a Greek court in late November, following the regional carrier's suspension of flights earlier in the month amid cash flow problems.
