- The government insists Kasteli Airport will open in February 2027.
- Radiome 88.4 reveals delays in air navigation systems and staff training.
- Union leader Vangelis Vistakis says 2028 optimistic, 2030 realistic.
- Radar placement stalled by archaeological finds on Papoura Hill.
- The builder may demand massive penalties from the state.
- Heraklion’s airport director, Iakovos Ouranos, admits “end of 2027 or 2028” is more likely.
According to the government, the new Kasteli Airport will open in February 2027. According to reality — as laid out on Radiome 88.4 — we will be lucky if it begins before 2030.
On Lefteris Symvoulakis’ show “Epistrofi sto Mellon” (Back to the Future, how poetic), union leader Vangelis Vistakis spelled it out: staff training has not begun, new air navigation systems have not been ordered, and even the basics for air traffic control are nowhere near ready. With only 18 months left, the idea of operating a “state-of-the-art” international hub is laughable.
Radar, Ruins, and Ransoms
But wait — it gets better. The radar system, vital for any modern airport, has not even been greenlit. Why? Because archaeologists found ancient remains on Papoura Hill, the proposed radar site. Since June 2024, new location approvals have been “in process,” which in Greek means “nobody knows, nobody cares, nothing moves.”
This bureaucratic ballet creates a gift-wrapped excuse for the construction consortium. While the state dithers, the builders get ready to activate contract clauses that will cost Greek taxpayers two or three times the price of the radar. Yes, the longer it drags, the more expensive it becomes.
Meanwhile, Civil Aviation workers in Crete are left twisting. Vistakis reminded listeners that no training on new systems has taken place, tower staff are already stretched to the limit, and the government’s idea of a solution is to mutter threats about bringing in private contractors because nothing says “public safety” like outsourcing air traffic control to whoever answers the phone.
Ouranos Joins the Chorus
Even the local boss agrees. Heraklion Airport director Iakovos Ouranos admitted on Radiome 88.4 that in a meeting with Infrastructure Minister Nikos Tahiaos, officials quietly conceded a “small delay.” Translation: push the launch back to late 2027 or early 2028. This, of course, is the optimistic version. Vistakis puts his money on 2030.
What was supposed to be Crete’s great leap forward in aviation is turning into the same old Greek tragicomedy: deadlines no one believes, archaeology fighting modernity, contracts designed for penalty clauses, and workers left without training.
So, will Kasteli Airport open in 2027? Only in government press releases. In the real world, Crete will keep shuffling through Heraklion’s tired Nikos Kazantzakis Airport while Kasteli slowly gathers dust — or ruins.
