Greece and Macedonia have relaunched a passenger flight route between the countries’ capitals after more than a decade as the nations seek to mend relations after reaching an agreement to end a 27-year-old dispute over Macedonia’s name.
The first passenger flight in 10 years has landed in Skopje in another sign of thawing relations after the two countries agreed to settle the perennial row. The regular commuter flight between the two capitals landed at Skopje International Airport Thursday evening.
The roughly one-hour route connecting Athens with Skopje will be operated by Greece’s largest carrier, Aegean Airlines, twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The journey takes an estimated 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Bujar Osmani, who was aboard the November 1 flight from Athens, said the new air connection symbolizes a new strategic partnership in the region.
“Greece will be our closest ally. I am now heading to the airport as we re-establish an air connection that symbolises a new strategic partnership in the region,” Osmani said after meeting Greek Alternate Foreign Minister George Katrougalos in Athens.
The minister and the other passengers on the 75-minute flight between the Greek and Macedonian capitals were handed cookies upon their arrival at International Airport Skopje.
