Troika wants to close down 22 Greek airports – after Lufthansa’s recommendation

Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Economy, Uncategorized

Greece’s lenders, the Troika, have reportedly brought back on the table the demand that 22 airports across the country should be shut down. The proposal has been allegedly suggested by the German airliner Lufthansa and forwarded to the Greek government via the German advisers to the Greek state – I suppose by the EU Task force under the leadership of Horst Reichenbach.
According to local news portal prismanews.gr, the proposal foresees the shut down of airports in remote islands but also to popular tourist destinations like

Sitia (Crete), Alexandroupolis, Araxos, Kalamata, Nea Agchialos, Lemnos, Chios, Kastoria, Kozani, Ioannina, Skyros, Syros, Ikaria, Leros, Karpathos, Naxos, Paros, Milos, Kythera, Astypalaia, Kastelorizo, Kassos.

The recommendation to close 22 airports was originally proposed to the Greek government a few months ago, it was rejected by the Ministry [?] and had caused an uproar in the concerned areas.
Should the airports close down in some remote islands, visitors and inhabitants will need to spend some 12 to 20 hours on the ship in order reach their destination in the Greek capital. Alternatively they might be able to choose the option of flying from a near by island but the trip of 40-50 minutes per plane will be extended to several hours.
PS Two days ago I posted about the proposal of German insurance company Allianz Group to enforce Greeks to pay double contributions for pensions. Today, we learn that German Lufthansa wants to close down 22 airports. I can understand that the Allianz Group could profit by the measure. But Lufthansa? Do I miss something here? Unless it wants to enter the local market and considers these airports as non-profitable. T
And yet there is one conclusion we pull out of these German proposals: That Germans rule our lives per remote control.