Who operates float planes in Greece?

[Carrier]

A few weeks ago the Weekly Telegraph had a small news item mentioning that float planes are now being used to fly tourists to and from the Greek islands. No names or other information were given, merely a comment on the time saved and the convenience as against traveling by boat. Does anyone have the name and contact info for the operator and what aircraft are they using? Thanks in advance.

[Thunderbug]

From this weeks Flight International

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.


Article by GUS VLASSIS / ATHENS


T'bug

[Rwy in Sight]

The company does only sightseeing (sp) tours out of Kerkyra (LGKR- CFU) and they hope to start schedule services later this month.

Rwy in Sight

[jetstream7]

Good luck to these people, but it seems a little late in the year to be starting an operation like this - hope they'll be around come Summer 2005.

www.airsealines.com for more information

[STOL]

Anyone got any inside information on how their first season went and of any expansion plans?

cheers,

STOL

[Sharjah Night Shift]

The company is called AirSea Lines and are based at Gouvia Marina on Corfu, not at the airport. Website (http://www.airsealines.com)

I tried to get a ride with them when I visited Corfu in October but they had suspended operations for maintanance to be carried out on their fleet of two Twin Otters.

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=5617425 http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=5618465

[LGWAlan]

I too tried to get a ride - in september though - and the flight from Corfu to Paxos was full - not a ticket to be had for love nor money.