ATH 21/06/2010 - Olympic fleet rotting at Athens

[tapclassic]

[tapclassic]

Whatis also not clear is why a new 2 runway airport was built to replace a 2 runway airport, and the old one is stil almosy intact.

Wouldn't it have been better to use the money to improve the old airport?


Both airports, new on the right:


Old one (Ellinikon International Airport):


and the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport:

[theeuropean]

To answer your question, the old airport was not more than a ware house. Although it had 2 runways the building(s) itself where already at overcapacity. I don't know if you saw, but the picture of the old airport clearly shows why a new one was needed. There was no room what so ever to expand. There's the sea to one side and the rest was blocked by suburban areas of Athens. The current airport - at its current state can handle 21 million passengers per annum, and there is an expansion plan that, if it's correct the airport will be able to handle up to 50 million passengers per annum (if that ever happens). Back in the day, Athens recieved the worst international airport award (I'll do my best to try and find it). The airport is not intact anymore. I was there 2 weeks ago for a big exposition, and the exposition is not even in the old terminal buildings! What I was surprised to see was a Boeing 747 (without engines), 727 and 737 of the old Olympic at the old airport. The 4 Airbus A340's are government owned and they should sell them if they can. The other (I am not sure if all) 737's are owned by Hola Airlines of Spain (they went bust). However, I find the A340's to look very classy in that colour scheme

[Desert Rat]

These pictures remind me of something...

[Airbus330lover]

Why not purchased at an affordable price by SN ?
They need some aircraft for african OPS !

[tapclassic]

To answer your question, the old airport was not more than a ware house. Although it had 2 runways the building(s) itself where already at overcapacity. I don't know if you saw, but the picture of the old airport clearly shows why a new one was needed. There was no room what so ever to expand. There's the sea to one side and the rest was blocked by suburban areas of Athens. The current airport - at its current state can handle 21 million passengers per annum, and there is an expansion plan that, if it's correct the airport will be able to handle up to 50 million passengers per annum (if that ever happens). Back in the day, Athens recieved the worst international airport award (I'll do my best to try and find it). The airport is not intact anymore. I was there 2 weeks ago for a big exposition, and the exposition is not even in the old terminal buildings! What I was surprised to see was a Boeing 747 (without engines), 727 and 737 of the old Olympic at the old airport. The 4 Airbus A340's are government owned and they should sell them if they can. The other (I am not sure if all) 737's are owned by Hola Airlines of Spain (they went bust). However, I find the A340's to look very classy in that colour scheme

Hi thanks for the info.
At the old airport, would any of these airplanes still be able to fly off the old runways?
The new airport terminals is nice, functional and cool.

[theeuropean]

Unfortunatley, they won't be taking off
In anycase the runways are not as long anymore, because they have built a tram line. There are plans to convert it to a park (it will be Europe's biggest park) and a tram shed.

[js51672]

Sad to see, that an actual; fleet is grounded.

[tapclassic]

Unfortunatley, they won't be taking off
In anycase the runways are not as long anymore, because they have built a tram line. There are plans to convert it to a park (it will be Europe's biggest park) and a tram shed.

damn! that means I could've taken a tram and went by?
A sort of Gibraltar