By F. Zois
[email protected]
Greece's privatization fund (HRADF) is reportedly ready to sell a 30-percent stake in the authority that owns the Athens International Airport (AIA) in the first three months of 2018, days after extending the contract held by the current concessionaire by 20 years.
On its part, the concessionaire for the airport, officially named the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, promised investments to improve facilities and infrastructure worth 400 million euros over the coming five-year period.
The twin developments come amid continuing increases in the airport's figures over the years, including passenger traffic, number of flights, turnover and profitability. The goal for passenger traffic is to exceed the 26-million mark over the next three years.
According to reports, after the concession extension, AIA's management is eyeing a near doubling of terminal 1, along with expanding the passport control area in the non-Schengen arrival zone. Another project cites the construction of a covered car park as well as a new hotel in the retail zone adjacent to the airport. As opposed to the current five-star hotel that stands just across from the main terminal, the new hotel is billed as a low-budget alternative for travelers seeking more economical lodgings.
