Fraport Greece Implements Major Upgrades at 13 Regional Airports for EASA Certification. The project focuses on the implementation of critical interventions at 13 out of the total 14 regional airports under concession (excluding Thessaloniki Airport, which has already been initially certified), managed by Fraport Greece. These airports, located in Corfu, Kavala, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, Aktio, Chania, Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos, Kos, Skiathos, Mytilene, and Samos, are undergoing necessary upgrades to meet the requirements set by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). These efforts, coordinated with the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA), aim to ensure compliance with safety regulations, ultimately leading to their initial EASA certification as EASA-compliant airports.
This initiative is part of the European Recovery and Resilience Fund, which provides significant financial support for the modernization of infrastructure across Europe.
A Key Financial Benefit for Greece
Under the terms of the Concession Agreement for the 7 + 7 regional airports of Clusters A & B, the cost required for the compliance works falls solely on the Greek State. This arrangement offers a substantial benefit to the public sector, as these upgrades were successfully included in the EU Recovery Fund and are being funded through this mechanism.
Greece, recognized internationally for its safety standards—particularly in aviation and tourism—faces a crucial task of preserving this competitive advantage, especially with the global challenges that lie ahead in the coming years.
EASA’s Role in Ensuring Aviation Safety
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is responsible for ensuring a high level of flight safety for all EU citizens. EASA accomplishes this goal through the application of uniform regulations and certification processes across member states. Its role includes drafting and enforcing safety rules, certifying aviation organizations, and providing oversight to member states while promoting European and international safety standards.
To support this mission, EASA developed Regulation (EU) No. 139/2014, which establishes the requirements and administrative procedures for airport certification. This regulation offers flexibility for airports built before its enforcement, allowing them to adapt to the updated standards while ensuring that they meet necessary safety requirements.
Bringing Greek Airports into Full Compliance
The Greek regional airports, under the management of Fraport Greece, will soon meet the standards outlined in Regulation (EU) 2018/1139, which governs civil aviation safety across Europe. As part of the initial certification process, the airports must meet all EASA’s certification specifications (CS), including operational and infrastructure requirements. Airport certification is crucial for ensuring safe and efficient operations, and compliance with these regulations is mandatory for securing international recognition and safety standards.
The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) successfully certified initially the 14 regional airports in December 2017. Since these airports were built before the regulation came into effect, any deviations from the new standards were addressed through EASA’s flexibility tools, including the Deviation and Action Acceptance Document (DAAD), Special Conditions (SC), or Equivalent Level of Safety (ELoS).
Mitigation Measures and Future Progress
As part of ongoing discussions between Fraport Greece and the HCAA, a detailed compliance review was conducted by technical consultants to identify any deviations from EASA standards. Mitigation measures were proposed, and corrective actions are being implemented as part of the EASA Works, which include safety assessments and protocols to address non-compliance issues.
PLANET is playing a pivotal role in the successful execution of this project by providing construction management services. With its extensive experience and attention to detail, PLANET’s team is helping to deliver the project on time and within budget, while maintaining the highest standards of safety and compliance.
The ultimate goal of these upgrades is to maintain the validity of the airport certificates and to ensure that the compliance status of the airports remain in compliance with the certification basis (CB). By implementing the agreed-upon EASA Works, the compliance status of the airports will significantly improve the Aviation Safety.
The implementation of these upgrades marks a major milestone in advancing the safety of Greek airports. The European Commission’s initial goal when issuing these regulations was to achieve uniform safety standards across the EU, and the successful certification of Greek regional airports will contribute to that overarching objective.
The upcoming improvements will ensure that the airports continue to meet the highest safety standards and remain key assets for the country's economy. As Greece prepares for a critical period of global uncertainty, maintaining a competitive edge in tourism and aviation safety will be essential for the country’s continued success.
