In the air the concession of 14 regional airports

A particularly worrying development, which can even blow up the agreement of the concession of 14 regional airports, is revealed and causes…
questions about the feasibility of this.
It all started from the persistence of the Civil Aviation authority to start projects in the “flagship” of regional airports, the “Makedonia” of Thessaloniki in March 2017, i.e. just before the start of the tourist season.
It is the work of the intersection of runway 16-34 to the 10-28 of the airport of Thessaloniki, which was supposed to have been completed since 2006. It is noted that the runway 16-34 is the only functioning runway-landings of the airport “Macedonia”.
Since, for various reasons, stagnated for 10 years, the government assured that the project would be completed in March 2017, just before start of the tourist season.
Today, the project still was not started and, if started now, will be in progress at the peak of the tourist season, with a dramatic impact on tourism and the economy of Thessaloniki, Halkidiki and the broader region as denounce all of the responsible bodies.
The risks safety
The FAA, however, insists on the immediate start of the project and proposes –during the works– to be used as a main corridor from landing, the auxiliary runway, taxiing the aircraft from the main corridor to the parking lot.
However, the use of the taxiway as a lord’s hall, raises many questions of safety, for three main reasons:
Because you’re going to be in a period of high traffic of the airport during the summer-tourist season)
Why the use of the taxiway as a normal corridor, in accordance with european regulations, are permitted under very specific emergency conditions and only for a few hours a day.
Because the taxiway is not supported by ILS (Instrumental Landing System) and navigational aids, so the landings and take-offs will be carried out only visually, when in Thessaloniki are common and often the problems of fog.
So, instead of the FAA to postpone the start of the project (which anyway has not been done for 10 years now) for a time with less traffic at the airport, such as the March, insists on the implement in the midst of the tourist season.
Airlines cancel flights
Already airlines are changing their plans for the summer of 2017 by cancelling flights to Thessaloniki and launching their aircraft to other destinations, because of the risk of decision for the FAA and the ambiguity with regard to the capacity and safety of the airport.
All tourism operators and all local authorities (Governor, Mayors of the surrounding area, etc) asking for postponement of projects for the period of low traffic, and far fewer routes.
As they denounce the institutions, the persistence of the FAA is an unreasonable choice for the 3rd largest airport of the country and the 2nd largest city, only damage it can cause.
The risks involved in such a move, for the safety of flights, Fraport, which has regional airports, to be extremely anxious, as confirmed company sources.
You will receive the Fraport the airport?
And here the question is what will the German company.
Why, if the Fraport received the particular airport, is obliged to suspend its operation until the completion of the works to the Public, since they will not be able to guarantee the safety of flights and to not jeopardise the worldwide prestige.
Therefore, with these data, the Fraport is likely to refuse to accept the airport Macedonia, not only because they have not complied with the agreed, but mainly because you have to keep it closed.
As is natural, such a development poses a risk of cancellation of the whole agreement of a concession of 14 airports, the airport of Thessaloniki is the largest airport of the 14 and important pillar of the investment.
It is obvious that the non-completion of the agreement will result in a huge loss of revenue for the country in the order of 10 billion euro, of which 1.3 billion. euro directly causing “goosebumps” to the FUND

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