Patras Araxos Airport

Araxos Airport^[5][6] (Greek: Αεροδρόμιο Αράξου) (IATA: GPA, ICAO: LGRX) is the airport of Patras, the third-largest city in Greece. It serves as a combined civilian and military airport and is located near its namesake, the village of Araxos, Achaea. It is also known as Agamemnon Airport and primarily is used as an active air base for the Hellenic Air Force, with some civilian services to European destinations during the summer months. The airport facilities were very limited until 2007, when the construction of a new 1,477 m² arrivals building was completed.^[7] Today the airport terminal covers a total area of 2,300 m².

Araxos Airport Κρατικός Αερολιμένας Αράξου
IATA: GPA ICAO: LGRX
Summary
Airport type	Public / military
Owner	Greek Armed Forces
Operator	Hellenic Air Force and HCAA
Serves	Patras and Pyrgos, Greece
Location	Araxos
Elevation AMSL	46 ft / 14 m
Coordinates	38°09′04″N 021°25′32″E
Website	www.hcaa.gr
Map
LGRX
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 18R/36L 3,352 10,997 Concrete
Statistics (2018)
Passengers 182,129 Passenger traffic change 20.8% Aircraft movements 1,365 Aircraft movements change 8.5%
Sources:HCAA,[1] DAFIF[2][3][4]

116th Combat Wing

Araxos was established as a military airport in 1936, but construction of the runway was not completed until 1941, when it also became the site of the first radar installation in Greece.^[8]

The airport has served as the home base of the Hellenic Air Force's 116th Combat Wing (116 Πτέρυγα Μάχης) since May 1969, and of its precursor the 116th Combat Group (116 Σμηναρχία Μάχης) since April 1962. It currently comprises the 336th Bomber Squadron and 335th Squadron.^[8] The main aircraft used by both squadrons is F-16 Block 52+ Advanced.

Airlines and destinations

The following airlines operate regular scheduled and charter flights at Patras Araxos Airport:

Airlines	Destinations
airBaltic	Seasonal charter: Riga[9]
Austrian Airlines	Seasonal: Vienna[10]
Enter Air	Seasonal charter: Warsaw–Chopin
GetJet Airlines	Seasonal charter: Vilnius
Neos	Seasonal: Milan–Malpensa
Ryanair	Seasonal: Bari (begins 6 May 2025)[11]
Sky Express	Seasonal charter: Timișoara[12]
Smartwings	Seasonal charter: Bratislava, Katowice[13] Prague, Warsaw–Chopin
TUI fly Belgium	Seasonal: Brussels
TUI fly Deutschland	Seasonal: Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart
Volotea	Seasonal: Lille (begins 9 April 2025)[14]

Statistics

Annual passenger traffic at GPA airport. See Wikidata query.

Ground transport

Araxos airport is located 45 km west of the city of Patras and 65 km north of Pyrgos. There are bus services from Patras to Araxos.^[15] There is no train connection.

See also

• Transport in Greece
• Kalogria beach

References

1. "ARAXOS AIRPORT". ypa.gr. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
2. "Airport information for LGRX". World Aero Data. Archived from the original on 2019-03-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) Data current as of October 2006.
3. Airport information for GPA at Great Circle Mapper.
4. "Araxos Airport". Archived from the original on 2013-02-17. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
5. Araxos Airport website
6. Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority, presentation of the airport
7. "Παραδόθηκε το κτίριο αναχωρήσεων του αεροδρομίου της Αράξου στην ΥΠΑ". 9 August 2007.
8. "116 Combat Wing". Hellenic Air Force. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
9. "AirBaltic and Tez Tour Latvija announce charter flights to Antalya, Burgas and Araxos".
10. "Αεροδρόμιο Αράξου: Για πρώτη φορά σύνδεση με Ισραήλ! Αναμένεται η πρώτη πτήση". 7 May 2023.
11. "Πτήσεις της Ryanair από Άραξο για Μπάρι από τον Μάιο- Σε προ πανδημίας επίπεδα η κίνηση στο αεροδρόμιο".
12. "SKY EXPRESS NS23 ROMANIA CHARTER NETWORK EXPANSION".
13. "SMARTWINGS POLAND NS24 CHARTER NETWORK ADDITIONS". 8 January 2024.
14. https://www.aviation24.be/airlines/volotea/volotea-expands-in-lille-with-new-greek-route-for-2025/
15. KTEL Achaias Bus services to Araxos airport (in Greek)

External links

• official page
• Accident history for GPA at Aviation Safety Network