On Saturday, October 16th, a meeting was held at the City Hall of Ioannina concerning the location and establishment of a water airport, in a highly constructive atmosphere.

Attending the meeting were Nikolaos Charalambous, President and CEO of Hellenic Seaplanes S.A., Moises Elisaf, Mayor of Ioannina, Vasilis Zografos, General Secretary, as well as Spyros Sourelis, Panagiotis Tzanos, and Stathis Sioutis, the President, Vice President, and General Secretary, respectively, of the Ioannina Hotel Association; Philippas Filios, President of the Lake Management Authority; Aris Lioumbos, President of the Island Community; and Member of Parliament Maria Kefala.

The meeting commenced with an extensive discussion on the existing legal framework and the necessary steps required for the establishment and operation of the water airport, from the company’s perspective.

The conversation then turned to the initiatives being promoted by the current government to enhance and expedite the process of developing a comprehensive and sustainable network of water airports across Greece.

The discussion further expanded to include Hellenic Seaplanes S.A.’s proposal for the location of the water airport at Lake Ioannina, its technical specifications, and a related overview of the proposed flight schedule, with a time gap of up to 45 minutes, departing from Lake Pamvotida to various destinations in Epirus, Macedonia, Central, and Western Greece.

Nikolaos Charalambous, President and CEO of Hellenic Seaplanes S.A., remarked:
“We have outlined the process and timeline for the establishment of the water airport at the lake. This process will be conducted in full compliance with the legal framework, and we are optimistic about completing it as swiftly as possible. We expect to announce the Ioannina water airport within the coming weeks. The lake serves as a strategic hub that enables the potential for international flights. Our goal is to integrate the operation of water airports with both airports and seaports, creating a fully interconnected network.”

Spyros Sourelis, President of the Ioannina Hotel Association, commented:
“The operation of the water airport will attract high-net-worth visitors. It will complement, rather than compete with, existing transport infrastructures. We are hopeful for rapid licensing and look forward to the first flight in the near future.”

Mayor Moises Elisaf emphasized:
“The Municipality is committed to initiating all the necessary procedures promptly,