Paros: airport upgrade included in National Programme

The project “Development and improvement of Paros New Airport infrastructure” was included in the National Development Programme 2026–2030 with a total budget of 45.44 million euro. The project provides for a new terminal building with a total area of 12,117 square metres, a new control tower, fire station, security booth, and permanent wastewater treatment facility. The scope includes extension of the landing-and-takeoff runway from 1,400 to 1,799 metres, expansion of the aircraft parking apron, landscaping of the surrounding area, and construction of an internal road network. Necessary archaeological works are funded in parallel, as are connections and restoration of utility networks. The completion horizon is set for 31 December 2030.

Runway length is not a technical detail but the basic factor determining which aircraft types can land at an airport and, by extension, which destinations it can serve directly. A runway close to 1,800 metres opens the field to larger aircraft than those currently serving local routes, while the new terminal of 12,117 square metres addresses the management of passenger flows within the building—queues, checks, waiting, baggage. The addition of a permanent fire station and wastewater treatment facility addresses operational autonomy and the environmental footprint of the facility, two matters that at island airports are often managed with temporary solutions.

For Paros, which handles some of the highest passenger volumes in the Cyclades, the question is not just how many passengers arrive but when. Traffic is concentrated into a few weeks of summer, with the result that the island’s infrastructure operates for months below capacity and for a brief period well above it. The airport upgrade fits into a broader infrastructure context challenged by the same seasonality—from waste management, where the Paros landfill case continues to develop, to coastal-zone management, with the recent return of beach-concession authority to municipalities. Increasing an airport’s capacity translates to additional pressure on the island’s remaining networks, from water and sewage to road infrastructure and access to settlements.

Infrastructure Minister Christos Dimas noted that the project will provide modern facilities, enhanced operational capacity, and upgraded passenger services. With inclusion in the National Development Programme, funding is secured; the next steps involve studies, permits, and tendering of component projects, with the timeline extending four or more years. Explicit provision for archaeological works shows that implementation will depend on the progress of field research—a process that in the Cyclades often affects scheduling. No detailed timeline per sub-project has been announced, nor a date for work commencement, and sources recording the inclusion show no discrepancies in the project details.