Three candidates for airport privatization

The names showing the most activity at this point are the consortiums of Argentinian Corporation America aith Greek fiirm METKA, French Vinci with Greek Ellaktor, and German firm Fraport with the Kopelouzos group. This does not preclude that other consortiums, or frms, will desist from the bidding process.

Four more investors are biddingin the process including French Aeroport De La Cote d'Azur, the consortium of J&P Avax - Zurich Airport, Athens International Airport, and the Advent group.
The Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF) will announce on Friday, when the bidding ends, the participants in the process, but bids will be opened at the first board meeting, possibly, next week.

The airports, along with the port authorities of Piraeus and Thessaloniki are HRADF's only chances to garner serious proceeds as many bids are postponed ad infinitum while revenue so far is well off target.

The airports are assets that the fund relies on and led prospective investors to ask the bidding deadline to be extended to 10 October in order to better prepare their bids, something which fund staff saw as heightened interest.

This year's record tourist arrivals certainly raise the value of the airports that are being given over for a period of forty years with a possible extension of another ten, in two batches of 7+7.

The winners of the bids will be bound to implement 300 million euros worth of investments for both groups.

The first group comprises Thessaloniki, Hania, Kerkyra, Zakynthos, Kephalonia, Aktio, and Kavala, with an option for the airports of Alexandroupolis, Araxos, Kalamata, and Nea Ahialos.

The second group comprises the aiports of Rhodes, Kos, Skiathos, mykonos, Santorini, Samos, mytilene , with an option for the airports of Chios, Karpathos, Nea Ahialos, and Lemnos. The airport of Iraklio, Crete is excluded as it is part of the contract for the new airport at Kastelli.