Avgeeks love getting close to arriving and departing aircraft, explaining the appeal of Skiathos Airport. But if you go, please be careful!
When it comes to “getting up close and personal” with airliners, Sint Maarten, aka Princess Juliana International Airport (TNCM), rules supreme. There certainly are other impressive places to watch aircraft operate from. Gustaf III Airport (aka St. Barts or Saint Barthélemy Airport, ICAO: TFFJ) also comes to mind. But the planes in Sint Maarten are bigger.
Skiathos Airport (LGSK) is somewhere between those two in size, but it certainly is big enough for jets. In theory, Boeing 767 widebodies can operate from its 1,630-meter (5,341-foot) runway. But usually, 757s are the biggest aircraft that onlookers can expect to see.
The geography of the airport means that the sea is encroaching on it from both sides. Extending the runway into the sea isn’t really possible or practical. And for many, such an extension wouldn’t be particularly desirable, either.
The southwest side of the runway (01) at Skiathos Airport is very close to the island’s main town – also called Skiathos. That is the side that you see in all the pictures of the airport, where passers-by can get really close.
An Appealing Sight!
Extending the runway further south would put the arriving jets into the port right in front of the town. Extending the runway on the northern side would be tricky, too. There is some elevation difference there, plus… well, it features a lovely beach.
This is a moot point, anyway. The aircraft that bring summer vacationers to the island seem to be capable of landing just fine here. However, there are some discussions about the need for parallel taxiways to allow aircraft to vacate the runway quicker and depart faster – instead of backtracking.
But of course, the main appeal of the airport has nothing to do with all this. For most Europeans, Skiathos Airport is the closest they can get to airliners as they arrive and depart. And you really don’t need to be an avgeek to like it!
At the approach end of runway 01 (previously 02), there is a road intersection and parking area between the airport fence and a small beach by the port. People gather all along this spot to watch aircraft arrive and depart. That parking area makes this very easy and accessible.
However, as with Sint Maarten and Saint Barthelemy, congregating so close to the edge of an active runway comes with some risks. In 2022, on two different occasions, people suffered severe injuries after the jet blast of departing aircraft threw them to the ground.
Staying Safe At Skiathos Airport
Unlike Sint Maarten, where the jet blast throws people down onto a sandy beach, many onlookers at Skiathos Airport stand on an asphalt road. Those who are more careful stand a bit further to the sides or on the beach just beyond the road.
After those 2022 accidents, local authorities put markings on the road to show where people should NOT be standing during aircraft operations. That’s on top of numerous warning signs, of course. The road also has traffic lights to stop car traffic during aircraft arrivals and departures.
When you follow the rules, this can be quite a fun airport to observe single-aisle jets and turboprops arriving and departing. There is even a coffee shop right next to that parking area where planespotters can have a quick break when there’s a lull between flights.
Incidentally, if you decide to rent a car (or bring your own!) in Skiathos, you might want to think carefully about exactly where you leave it, in that convenient parking lot. That place gets quite close to the runway, but unless you fancy an uneven… sandblasted look, you might prefer parking a bit further off to the side and walking a few extra steps instead!
More Skiathos Airport Viewpoints
But something else worth noting here is that famous though it may be, the threshold of runway 01 is NOT the only place where you can enjoy a great view of aircraft at Skiathos airport. There are quite a few other interesting vantage points that you could explore, especially if you have a camera with a zoom lens.
An obvious starting point is the town of Skiathos itself, just south of the airport. Multiple areas around the port (check out Bourtzi) will give you a pretty good view of landing traffic. The town itself is built on hilly terrain. And at the town’s highest points, church yards and coffee shop seating areas offer great views.
Away from Skiathos town, there is more high ground elevation on the west side of the airport, running parallel to the runway. If you follow the quiet roads parallel to the airport, you will find more places with a great view. See the picture above.
Finally, you can also check out the northern end of the runway. The prevailing winds are northern, but occasionally, traffic uses runway 19 instead. You can’t get as close to that side of the runway, but it still offers impressive views.
We visited Skiathos in September. This is definitely a less busy time than July or August, but it is still warm enough for a summer vacation. Of course, you still need to make sure that those travelling with you will put up with your occasional (?) visits to that noisy runway!
