Transport minister says new Kastelli airport on track for November 2028 opening

Greece’s Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Christos Dimas, said the timeline for the new Heraklion International Airport at Kastelli, Crete, remains unchanged, with the facility on track to be fully operational by November 2028.

The minister made the comments on the sidelines of the signing of a contract for the airport’s air navigation systems. He said construction of the project has reached 76% completion, and gave updates on the terminal, the control tower and an outstanding issue over radar placement.

“The target remains the same”

Dimas said the signing of the air navigation systems contract marked another critical step toward completing the project. “Today I am in the very pleasant position to say that this contract is being signed,” he said, adding that the schedule has not changed.

“The target remains the same. In November 2028 the airport must be fully operational,” he said.

He credited what he described as a large, coordinated effort by all parties involved, naming the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, the Civil Aviation Service, the Civil Aviation Authority, Heraklion International Airport, Crete’s members of parliament and local authorities. He said the main goal is to resolve outstanding issues as quickly as possible so the timeline is met before the airport opens.

Construction at 76%, terminal to reach 85% in two months

Dimas said the project’s construction work has reached 76% and is expected to increase significantly in the coming period. He said that once complete, the airport will not simply be a new facility for Crete but one of the most modern airport infrastructures in the country.

“We will not simply have a new airport in Crete. We will have the most modern airport in Greece, one of the most modern airports in Europe and in the world,” he said. He added that the new airport must serve both local residents and the millions of visitors to Crete, while balancing this with the area’s cultural heritage and distinct character.

The minister also said the terminal is expected to reach around 85% completion within the next two months. He said individual systems will gradually begin to be installed in the terminal buildings and that work on the building facades, including the installation of glass panels, will also progress. “The systems will start to be fitted in place,” he said. “We are already seeing an airport, and we can understand the spaces, even those of us who are not experts.”

Control tower complete

Dimas said the airport’s control tower is already complete and can now be visited. He described its completion as another visible step in the project’s progress, as the construction site gradually turns into a functioning airport.

Radar placement awaiting Council of State ruling

Asked about one of the most significant outstanding issues concerning the air navigation systems—the siting of the radar—Dimas said a ruling from the Council of State is still pending. He said relevant authorities have examined different alternative solutions and possible scenarios in order to have a concrete plan for the system’s installation once the ruling is issued.

“We are waiting for the Council of State’s decision,” he said, before returning to his main message: “I maintain the position that in November 2028 the airport must be fully operational.”

Connecting infrastructure also progressing

Dimas said road connections supporting the airport are progressing alongside the main construction work. He said work on infrastructure linking the airport to Crete’s Northern Road Axis (BOAK) is under way and being closely monitored by the ministry.

He said he was satisfied with the progress of the works, noting that the appearance of the construction site is changing on a daily basis. “Day by day, week by week, we see the progress of the work, and I think we are all really very satisfied with what we are seeing,” he said.