- MP Harris Mamoulakis is pressing the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport to disclose the exact total and monthly collections generated by the €3 passenger exit fee introduced at Heraklion Airport “Nikos Kazantzakis” in November 2025.
- The parliamentary inquiry demands a granular breakdown of how these funds are distributed, asking for specific vendor contracts, project costs, and itemized proof of where the money is actually being spent.
- Despite massive passenger volume translating into substantial revenues, questions remain over whether the cash is directly reinvested into maintaining the aging Nikos Kazantzakis facilities during its remaining operational lifespan.
- The inquiry addresses long-term uncertainty regarding the future of the current airport site once commercial traffic eventually shifts to the new International Airport at Kasteli.
- Local authorities and the Municipality of Heraklion are demanding a formal say in the master planning and redevelopment strategy for the massive urban land tract that will be left behind.
Demanding Transparency on Passenger Fees
Travelers flying out of Heraklion’s crowded Nikos Kazantzakis Airport have been paying an additional €3 departure levy since late 2025, ostensibly dedicated to facility maintenance and upkeep. Now, independent Heraklion MP Harris Mamoulakis has raised the issue in parliament, formally questioning the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport about how these millions are accounted for and spent.
The core issue centers on financial transparency. Aside from the existing €3 Airport Development and Modernization Tax—tied to the broader funding structure of the upcoming Kasteli airport project—this secondary €3 per-passenger fee was introduced during the transition to cover daily operational pressures at the current airport.
Mamoulakis’s parliamentary question outlines five precise points that demand immediate answers from the government:
- Total Collections: What are the exact total and monthly revenues collected from the €3 passenger tax since its implementation, and in which specific state revenue accounts are these funds deposited?
- Itemized Expenditures: Where has the money gone? The inquiry requests a complete, audited breakdown of every project, maintenance work, and procurement funded by these revenues—including contractor details, contract values, and administrative decision codes.
- Maintenance Plans: What specific repair, maintenance, and upgrade work is scheduled for the current Nikos Kazantzakis terminal before commercial flights permanently relocate to Kasteli, and what is the total budget?
- Post-Closure Master Plan: What is the official government strategy for redeveloping the vast real estate and infrastructure of the current airport once it closes, and what is the timeline for those decisions?
- Local Participation: How will the Municipality of Heraklion and the local community be integrated into the planning process for the future of the vacated site?
With millions of passengers passing through the notoriously congested terminal annually, do these specific collections actually return to the Nikos Kazantzakis facilities, or do they vanish into broader state accounts?
