Avoiding high FRAPORT and HANDLING costs in Greece

petakas wrote:

Fraport just abide to their contractual obligation to make (shared) profit for the state.

Even so, light GA takes almost zero effort, some flights would be more turn-over and profits than no flights at all. Self-fuel + self-handle is not difficult to put in place, even at international airports.

@petakas wrote "What you miss there though is your own accomplishment of flying there yourself and the satisfaction that comes with it.

Most of us fly for the experience of that en route travel and the off airport experiences. Most of us fly simply because we love it. When you exercise your passion there are very few things that can get in your way."

Absolutely, I couldn’t agree more. I do have a question though. What is the feasibility of float plane or sea plane flying in the Greek islands"

Most “GA sized” seaplanes cannot be operated on the open sea.

Someone is planning this. https://hellenic-seaplanes.com/en/

But it seems to be more wish than reality so far.

petakas wrote:

To be honest, if someone considers all the details, it just does not make sense flying GA in Greece.

And this is one reason why this precedence within the European continent needs constant fight to sort out. We all have to be grateful and take an example in the persistence AOPA Greece and yourself have in this.

The problem I am seeing is that Greece is one of many examples in recent times where outpricing via handling has become a major obstacle to the principle of free circulation of airplanes. Also other airports even in GA paradises like Croatia have started to go this way (Dubrovnik has become expensive) and also AENA in Spain has been at it.

PPR is the next problem: more and more airports become unavailable for spontaneous trips but need coordination, slots, handling agreements and what not.

Add to that requirements for AOE and Avgas and the Greek situation does not seem that far away anymore.

What makes it unique is the fact that alternative airports and airfields available elsewhere are simply not there. The question would really be if it was possible to do what Meghara Airforce Base has done and to house GA in some other airbases or possibly closed or abandones airfields, with infrastructure operated by AOPA and local clubs. The other bit is that those airports which are available have opening hours which are simply a testament of laziness and red tape (particularly when the personell is there but is not allowed to accept traffic.) This should be addressed as much as the rest.

What GA needs to learn from the Greek situation is really that in many countries and larger airports we are not that far away from the same kind of behaviour by authorities. And not everywhere are those people stopped from destroying GA totally by their local competent authoritiy. AOPA and EASA need to work together with the roadmap and other ways to stop this tendency before it becomes an even larger threat.

It needs a coordinated effort. Some sort of EUAOPA.

Tbh, this forum shows that AOPAs of Europe aren’t even able to host a forum ;)

Fraport has nothing to fear.

What can we do?

Thanks @petakas. Do the same regulations apply to helicopters on floats, nearer to the coast eg in bays where wave height might not be so great. A bit like Sloane helicopters used to teach from their Mallorca base IIRC.