Shoreham EGKA to Greece, via Croatia, Sep 2021

Peter wrote:

Kithira LGKC, left downwind for 02. Kalamata military kept us at FL110 until 15D which made for a steep descent for the visual approach

Yes Kalamata LGKL have quite some activity on weekdays with MIL jets in the area. That is the reason.

In the day and age that for the first time in the history of the EU they have actually got a system of certificates which WORKS just using a bloody cellphone and a checker app, it utterly ridiculous to close down a whole airport for international travel on the grounds that you need a doctor or medical staff present…. but that unfortunately represents the bureaucracy in these countries.

Ioannina looks really interesting though. lets hope that they don´t shut that currently only reasonable door to Greece as well.

Mooney_Driver wrote:

In the day and age that for the first time in the history of the EU they have actually got a system of certificates which WORKS just using a bloody cellphone and a checker app, it utterly ridiculous to close down a whole airport for international travel on the grounds that you need a doctor or medical staff present…. but that unfortunately represents the bureaucracy in these countries.

FYI : This is the response AOPA Hellas got from Sitia Airport manager (translated from Greek):

You are right, everyone who comes from abroad, either passengers or crews, should have filled in the form and have the certificates you mention.

They show them to a civil protection doctor and the police, the doctor scanning the form knows if they come from a red zone, orange or green so he knows if he will do a rapid test or not.

This is not the job of the police but of the doctor who is stationed and equipped by the Civil Protection.

At Sitia Airport for the second year because all charter flights from abroad were canceled, no medical team was deployed with the necessary tests, with the result that we can not accept flights directly from abroad but refer them to another Greek Airport for medical examination and then come to us.

If you refer to flights that come to pick up passengers and depart immediately, this is is permitted by the Civil Protection.

Of course there is a problem in general, business etc. aviation.

We have reported it to the CAA administration and the Civil Protection since the beginning of the summer, but unfortunately it was not resolved.

Hoping to help you understand the problem, thank you in advance for your mediation and effort for solution.

Peter wrote:

Greece has elevated circular-argument corporate BS to a new artistic level

This is the beauty of an unpredictable State….Drift Race in front of the Parliament with P.M. addressing the Start.

MedFlyer wrote:

This is the beauty of an unpredictable State….Drift Race in front of the Parliament with P.M. addressing the Start.

C’mon MedFlyer don’t leave it without some (off tpic) bacground info. !
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acropolis_Rally
https://www.acropolisrally.gr/portal/en/category-media/news/day-1/209-eko-acropolis-rally-2021-we-are-back

Its the legendary WRC Acropolis Rally coming back after 3 years.

petakas wrote:

They show them to a civil protection doctor and the police, the doctor scanning the form knows if they come from a red zone, orange or green so he knows if he will do a rapid test or not.

This is not the job of the police but of the doctor who is stationed and equipped by the Civil Protection.

GROAN.

I suggest the CAA read up why there is a covid certificate and how it works.

With the same logic, every restaurant, cinema, e.t.c. would need a doctor to admit the guests. Instead, they do so via the certificate check app.

petakas wrote:

We have reported it to the CAA administration and the Civil Protection since the beginning of the summer, but unfortunately it was not resolved.

I guess this is the main problem. You report a problem, it gets put below a pile of the problems reported the last 20 years and may resurface eventually. Until then, we will get back to you, don’t call us, we will call you.

I don’t blame the good folks at Sitia airport at all… but those who came up with this madness should serve as a practice target on the 11 m point in Athens soccer stadium (if there is such a thing).

Really „strange“. Everbody else is paying 115€ for handling alone, so with two nights of parking, it comes to over 200 for an SEP.

Either they have reduced the fees as of 01/09/2021 (which would be great) or they gave you some sort of discount.