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A new helicopter airline in Greece is making island hopping easier with journeys to hard-to-reach islands flying holidaymakers from the mainland in under 48 minutes this summer.
Hoper, the country’s first scheduled helicopter service, launched on 13 June for speedy and stylish transfers out of Athens, Mykonos and Santorini.
The new airline calls the service a “shortcut” to the Greek islands with stints over the Aegean Sea to 11 destinations, including Kea, Tinos, Antiparos, Folegandros, Sifnos, Patmos, Ios and Spetses.
Island hopping in Greece has long depended on lengthy ferry transfers due to the lack of international airports on smaller archipelagos.
Hoper’s website states: “Our mission is to redefine the entire travel experience of passengers by providing convenient, efficient, and reliable helicopter flights with stunning views always included.”
Flights depart and arrive from Hoper’s private heliport in Koropi – 15-minute drive from Athens International Airport – to public heliports on each island with hubs on Mykonos and Santorini.
Seats on the scheduled helicopter transfers start from €160 (£134) each way depending on demand and children under two fly for free.
A 43-minute chopper ride from Athens to Sinfos in August can be bought from €390 (£328) on the Hoper website.
In comparison, a budget ferry fare to travel the same route would cost travellers around £37 each way but could take over five hours depending on the line.
Demitris Memos, Hoper CEO, founded the helicopter carrier after almost missing a close friend’s wedding in Patmos while rushing from Athens.
Mr Memos told The Independent: “By pioneering scheduled helicopter services in Greece and then transitioning to eVTOL technology, we aim to revolutionize transit, reclaim time for our passengers, and enhance quality of life.”
According to Olga Kefalogianni, Greece’s minister of tourism, the heli-service represents a “unique and unprecedented step” in Greek tourism by enhancing the flexibility of travel to its islands.
The aircraft operator will use a fleet of five Robinson R66 and R44 helicopters with a capacity of a maximum of four passengers and glass cockpits for the elevated transfers.
Onboard, ‘Flex’ ticket passengers can carry a handbag or laptop bag and a carry-on soft bag under 23kg.
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