In the midst of ongoing tensions involving airspace violations, Turkish authorities are advocating for an increase in air travel and visa permissions between Greece and Turkey. Currently, there are 104 flights operating weekly between the two nations, but Turkish officials are pressing for more.
This increase would involve not just routes to and from major cities like Athens and Thessaloniki, but also include several Greek islands.
This request comes despite continuous and escalating incursions by Turkish spy planes and drones into the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR), causing Greek air defense systems to remain on high alert. The issue of expanding flight operations is being discussed within the framework of Greek-Turkish diplomatic dialogues, with the potential for a formal agreement anticipated in the coming year. If an accord is reached, it could be endorsed by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan during the upcoming Supreme Cooperation Council meeting.
In addition to enhancing flight frequency, Turkey seeks to broaden the scope of Greek islands granting visas to Turkish visitors. While ten islands currently have visa arrangements in place, Ankara is proposing the inclusion of others, such as Patmos and Lemnos. Discussions have progressed to potentially establishing a ferry link between Lemnos and Imbros, which, if realized, would allow Greek visitors visa-free access to Imbros.