There are no MD80 UK airlines - was the charterer British ?
I wondered about the same too. It sounded weird.
Since the info. came from a friend of the ATC (who I asked to do the query) the "Bristish" may be a misscommunication.
The (exact word quote)
Emdieightysomething and the (exact word quote)
charter are more definite the way it sounded when I was told about the incident.
I could not ask for more info. because such discussions are delicate
ThinkRate, Skiathos now has a new higher tower (room!) and (I believe) the full runway length is visible. It is a clever construction of a tower's control room building just constructed over the old one (one extra storey height).