“Everything will go well,” Undersecretary of Civil Protection Nikos Hardalias said characteristically to media representatives, arriving at Macedonia Airport at 12.30pm.
The reason is the arrival of the first flight from abroad, in the post-colonial era, which landed today, at the “Macedonia” airport in Thessaloniki, the first day of return flights from abroad.
“By June 30, everyone will be checking at Macedonia Airport,” said Hardalias, referring to passengers arriving from abroad.
For his part, the Regional Governor of Central Macedonia Apostolos Tzitzikostas called on all entrepreneurs and tourism professionals, and not only, the strict observance of health protocols by all, in order to protect the tourist season, “and not to have setbacks” as he said .
“This tourist season must, at all costs, be protected, so that we do not have setbacks. Strict observance of health protocols is the only way to protect ourselves, “said Mr. Tzitzikostas, adding that the Region of Central Macedonia offers free seminars for businesses on compliance with health protocols.
“Greece and Thessaloniki welcome the first international flights with high pride and confidence,” said Thessaloniki Mayor Konstantinos Zervas, stressing that it is extremely important to pass this transition period with great care and success.
“I am optimistic that as we have responded well so far, we will do just as well in the rest of such an important summer period for the country and the national economy,” Zervas added during today’s autopsy at Macedonia Airport. strict adherence to health protocols by flights abroad.
Test upon arrival of passengers
In the area of arrivals from flights abroad and the receipt of luggage at the “Macedonia” airport, specific points have been formed for the tests that are performed on all passengers. After the short tests, the passengers, as Mr. Hardalias stated, will leave directly for their destination.
Respectively, as passengers who traveled today from Munich with the flight of the Aegean A3501 informed us, all the hygiene protocols and the necessary distances are observed. The test lasts one minute, and as the passengers informed us, they did not have any recommendation for self-restraint. However, they have given all their details (address, telephone numbers, place of residence, etc.).
“The test was fast, we can leave for our destination,” said Michalis Eleftheriadis, who had a holiday home in Halkidiki. “I came for vacations and jobs, no they wouldn’t tell us to limit ourselves,” he told us.
Mr. Prodromos Eleftheriadis told us the same, with a destination in Kavala, who will return to Munich on July 5.
Thirty movements a day
“Beautiful airports are full of people, full of passengers,” he told ethnos. gr the general director of operation Elias Maragakis, saying that today is a day of joy, to fill the airport with people. “We are ready to receive passengers from abroad, for the past two months, we are ready to receive even more passengers,” Mr. Maragakis pointed out to ethnos.gr.
It should be noted that according to information from ethnos.gr, the daily traffic at the “Macedonia” airport is estimated at 30 flights with domestic and foreign flights, starting today and abroad (from Munich and Larnaca at 8 pm ). During the corresponding period last year at the “Macedonia” airport, the daily movements amounted to about 200.
As for them parking lots inside the airport, the drop is estimated at around 80%, compared to the same period last year.
No reference hotel
And if the first 160 passengers from Munich arrived in Thessaloniki at noon and the next 160 will land at 8 pm, coming from Larnaca, Cyprus, Thessaloniki, so far, does not have a reference hotel to deal with any cases of coronavirus.
“Until today, the Ministry of Tourism will provide all the quarantine hotels they need. It will be finalized today, for a reference hotel “, said Mr. Hardalias in a relevant question of the media, adding” in any case we have alternative possibilities. At the moment, we have reference hospitals. ”
For his part, the president of the Thessaloniki Hoteliers Association, Andreas Mandrinos, speaking to ethnos. gr characteristically says “we have asked the government, to have an assignment for a reference hotel, initially, for the first time, without competitions” adding “it is necessary to make the assignment immediately, it is a big problem, we do not have a reference hotel, and Thessaloniki does not he can wait another minute. ”
At the moment, since the official opening of the 12-month hotels, in Thessaloniki, half of them are open, as ethnos.gr informs Mr. Mandrinos. “Of the 86, 43 are operating, and those with minimal reservations,” he said, adding that for the first 10 days of June, all hotels in Thessaloniki that dared to open had 12% of the city’s occupancy .
With 28 flights from foreign countries, Athens International Airport “El. Venizelos “, today, Monday, June 15, the first day of the opening of the two largest airports in the country, for international flights.
The start is hesitant, but substantial, with optimism and, most importantly, safe, and adhering to all hygiene protocols, as airport officials typically report on ethnos . gr.
Twenty-eight flights to El. Venizelos “
In “El. Venizelos ”are expected to land, a total of 28 flights from foreign airports. The first flight took place from Larnaca at 09.45 in the morning, followed by Aegean – Olympic Air, followed by Transavia from Amsterdam and Air France from Paris. Bucharest, Rome, Vienna, Doha, Bahrain, Munich, Frankfurt, Zurich, Budapest, Belgrade, Dσελsseldorf, Sofia, London, Milan and Tirana, are the cities from which “El. Venizelos “passengers from abroad.
Safety actions
In addition, the executives of “El. Venizelos “welcome the numerous passengers with two actions at the airport. Already, from 12.00 to 16:00, Filos Athinaios – the airport mascot – welcomed the passengers by offering them a safety kit with the essentials for a safe trip.
At the same time in the departures and arrivals of the airport, the AuTHENtic Smiles campaign enlivens and welcomes passengers: human, immovable statues symbolizing passengers from the 5 continents (Europe, America, Asia, Africa and Oceania). The statues gain life and movement when passengers pass in front of them, symbolizing the resumption of passenger traffic and the “liveliness” of the airport and our city.
Those arriving from an airport that is off the European Transport Agency’s list will be sampled, only some of the flights and not all. In this category, it will be recommended to flight tourists to self-limit in a hotel . If the test is negative, he will be able to continue his vacation , in case he is positive, he will have to stay in a quarantine hotel for 14 days.
The second category is passengers with tourists from I talia, Spain and the Netherlands . In these cases, all flight passengers will be checked by June 30 and the sampling procedure will be followed .