Aegean Airlines inaugurated the air connection between Athens and Erbil, a route that also has great geostrategic importance.
Erbil is located in northern Iraq and is considered by many to be one of the most active economic parts of the country, with the move being characterized as “flying the flag” in a critical region, at a special time.
The first flight to the capital of the Kurdish region of Iraq took place on Sunday, with the Greek airline having included two routes per week in its schedule.
It is also noted that the airline will soon inaugurate direct routes with India, which is estimated to be the next hot spot for Greek economic (and geostrategic) interests. Aegean’s outlook for 2025 looks more than positive, following a strong 2024. The company plans a 20% increase in seats from Chania, with an emphasis on the Scandinavian market.
In Cyprus, Aegean remains a “protagonist”, with a strengthened role in the market, as it plans new routes and upgrades to the capacity offered.
Following the positive response to the routes to and from Larnaca, it announced that from April 1, 2025, it will offer direct flights from Larnaca to Rome, while passenger traffic from its base in Cyprus is expected to increase by 25%. Based on the data available so far, the Greek airline recorded the best turnover in its history for the period January-September 2024, with revenues of 1.38 billion euros, up 4% compared to the corresponding period in 2023.
At the same time, Aegean offered 15.3 million available seats and carried 12.6 million passengers, 5% more than in 2023. The company’s net profitability amounted to 132 million euros, recording a 23% decrease compared to the previous year.
