Athens : HEY BIG SPENDER … ON INCENTIVES !!!
You want incentives for transfer passengers, fifth freedom flights, growth incentives, seasonal frequencies, low fares incentive and more…we've got them all!
Sustaining traffic volumes during the pandemic years and enjoying robust recovery would not have been possible without our Incentives‛ policy and our strategic and tactical actions on that front.
It is true that Athens offers the most comprehensive incentives' scheme in the world, comprising 14 different elements, covering any possible type of route development from home-based airlines, LCCs or visiting carriers. You want incentives for transfer passengers, fifth freedom flights, growth incentives, seasonal frequencies, low fares incentive and more…we've got them all! With the outbreak of the pandemic, we were ready to respond – as we have done in the past – in no time aiming to offer support to our airlines. As such, during the pandemic and in an effort to assist airlines to reinstate their services we designed special incentives for a limited period of time in order to encourage the restart. Despite the ongoing crisis and the devastating effect at the airport, our top priority was our airlines and their operations, thus, the operating carriers benefitted from discounts totaling above €20 million!!!
A special focus was given during the periods of lockdowns and through the transitional phases, so temporary measures were undertaken to offer cost mitigation to operating airlines. Strong discounts supporting schemes started as early as Summer 2020 & continued throughout 2021 offering to home-based and visiting carriers substantial discounts for their grounded aircrafts.
When the restrictions‛ gradual lifting started, we introduced the “Restart Incentive” to support airlines in their effort to restore international capacity to Athens, valid as from July 1st 2021 onwards. Aiming at mitigating, at the extent possible, airlines‛ risk during the restart phase, the incentives were offered on a monthly basis in order to offer a substantial & immediate benefit to the airlines.
In specific : The Restart incentive has offered to the airlines more than 4,2€mio in discounts on an annual basis.
Eyeing the future, we are now in the process of updating, upgrading and improving our Incentives’ Scheme in order to match current market trends, always aiming in supporting airlines already operating at Athens and encourage NEW and / or ADDITIONAL route developments.