The Chios Marine Club has called on Greek authorities to establish three emergency ferry links to cover a four-month closure of the island's airport.
Operations at Chios airport will halt from 15 November 2026 to 15 March 2027 for scheduled infrastructure works. The suspension was originally planned to last around two months, but officials recently informed local groups that the closure will extend to four months.
In a formal letter sent to relevant government ministries, local authorities, and regional trade bodies, the shipping association warned that the extended shutdown threatens the island's connectivity during the winter season.
Proposed ferry routes
The club outlined three alternative maritime connections to keep passengers and freight moving while flights remain grounded, offering travel times ranging from one hour and 45 minutes to six and a half hours.
Under the first proposal, daily high-speed catamarans would run between Chios and the Attica ports of Lavrio or Rafina, completing the crossing in three and a half hours. Both mainland ports sit east of Athens, providing shorter maritime routes across the central Aegean than traditional harbour departures.
The second option provides a regular ferry service connecting the island directly to Piraeus, Greece's primary commercial port, with a transit time of six and a half hours.
A third connection would establish two services to Mytilene on neighbouring Lesbos, representing the shortest suggested crossing at one hour and 45 minutes.
Demands for medical flights and deadlines
Beyond passenger sailings, the association urged ministers and local officials to draft an immediate transport master plan for the duration of the airport works.
The group stressed that authorities must guarantee permanent arrangements for emergency medical airlifts throughout the four-month shutdown. Aegean island communities depend heavily on air ambulance transfers for patients requiring urgent hospital care on the mainland.
The club also called on authorities to accelerate construction work at the airfield. Contractors and ministries must follow a strict, binding schedule to guarantee that the facility reopens no later than 15 March 2027, preventing any further extensions to the closure.
Island transport challenges
Chios lies in the eastern Aegean Sea close to the Turkish coast, where residents rely on Homer airport for domestic flights to Athens and northern Greece. Winter sea crossings can face severe delays during seasonal gales, making reliable transport links vital for the local economy.
The Chios Marine Club represents the island's extensive maritime and shipowning community, a group that plays a major role in Greek commercial shipping. The association said prompt government action is necessary to ensure islanders do not face transport isolation while the runway upgrades take place.
