Key facts
- Hellenic Seaplanes has initiated a new seaplane route between Greece and Albania.
- The first flight connected Ioannina, Greece, to Vlorë, Albania.
- Future plans include routes to Pogradec, Albania, and expansion into the wider Mediterranean and North Africa.
- The company aims to utilize the marine environment as natural infrastructure for mobility.
- This initiative is part of a broader cooperation framework with Albanian authorities.
Hellenic Seaplanes has launched a new seaplane route connecting the Greek city of Ioannina with Vlorë in Albania, marking the first such air link between the two southeastern European nations. This initiative is viewed as a significant step in developing a broader network of maritime air services across the Ionian and Adriatic regions.
The company's mission follows an official invitation from Albanian authorities and is part of a wider cooperation framework aimed at developing seaplane infrastructure and new cross-border transport corridors. The strategic goal is to connect coastal cities, island regions, and tourist destinations throughout the Mediterranean.
Hellenic Seaplanes, which has established a network of licensed water aerodromes in Greece, is now focusing on international expansion. The company's strategic plan indicates that the Greece-Albania connection is merely the beginning, with aspirations to create a new transport system leveraging the marine environment as natural infrastructure. Future plans include developing a comprehensive network covering countries in the Adriatic, Ionian, Eastern Mediterranean, and North Africa, thereby enhancing connectivity, tourism, and economic cooperation.