Sky Express
Airline Statistics
159
Active Routes5500
Flight Observations57
Unique Destinations56
Origin Airports518
Avg Route Distance (mi)1785
Longest Route (mi)0
Domestic Routes100
International RoutesAbout Sky Express
Sky Express (ICAO: SEH) is a Greek airline established in early 2005 under the legal name Cretan Airlines SA by Captain Miltiadis Tsagkarakis and George Mavrantonakis, both former Olympic Airways executives. Initially, the airline focused on domestic scheduled services, charter flights, cargo, air taxi, medevac, and sightseeing operations, utilizing a fleet of turboprop aircraft for island-hopping in the Greek archipelago. The airline was fully acquired by the IOGR Group of Companies in 2015 and has since grown significantly, expanding its fleet and international network.
The airline's headquarters are located at Heraklion International Airport (HER) on Crete, which also serves as a main operating base. Other key operational bases include Athens International Airport (ATH) and Thessaloniki Airport (SKG). Sky Express operates an extensive route network, serving 33 to 35 domestic destinations across Greece, connecting the mainland with numerous islands. Furthermore, it has expanded its international footprint to 15-26 destinations across Europe, including major cities in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Cyprus, Poland, Bulgaria, and the Netherlands.
Sky Express is not a member of a major global airline alliance like Star Alliance, SkyTeam, or Oneworld. However, it has established interline and codeshare agreements with 18 international carriers, including Air France, Air Serbia, American Airlines, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, Etihad, KLM, Qatar Airways, and Turkish Airlines, facilitating seamless connections to over 160 countries worldwide. The airline operates a modern fleet of 27 aircraft, making it the youngest in Greece and one of Europe's most environmentally friendly. The fleet comprises 2 Airbus A321neo, 10 Airbus A320neo, 1 Airbus A320ceo, 10 ATR 72-600, and 4 ATR 42-500 aircraft. For passenger services, Sky Express offers various Economy fare categories (Sky Basic, Sky Offer, Sky Joy, Sky Joy+, Sky Enjoy) which come with different baggage allowances and perks like lounge access or seat selection. On select domestic routes operated by its Airbus aircraft (Athens to Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Chania, and Rhodes), the airline provides a Business Class product known as Bliss (or Bliss+), which includes benefits such as increased baggage allowance, complimentary lounge access, fast-lane airport access, priority boarding, free seat selection, and a welcome with cold canapés.
Traveler Reviews
Traveler reviews for Sky Express present a mixed sentiment, with many appreciating certain aspects while others express significant frustration.
What Travelers Love:
- Modern and Clean Aircraft: Many travelers praise the airline for its brand new and well-maintained planes, often noting their cleanliness.
- Affordability and Domestic Connectivity: Sky Express is frequently highlighted as an affordable option for domestic flights and is valued for its extensive network connecting numerous Greek islands and mainland cities.
- Onboard Service (sometimes): Some passengers have reported positive experiences with friendly and helpful cabin crew, noting that refreshments are sometimes provided on board.
Common Complaints:
- Flight Delays: A recurring complaint among travelers is frequent flight delays, sometimes without adequate communication or explanation.
- Baggage Issues: Numerous reviews mention problems with lost, delayed, or damaged luggage. Some instances involve bags being left behind, particularly on flights from smaller airports, often attributed to ground handling services used by the airline.
- Customer Service Responsiveness: Travelers often report difficulties reaching customer service, receiving unhelpful responses, or experiencing a lack of accountability, especially when seeking compensation for delays or lost baggage.
- Strict Baggage Policies: Some passengers have expressed frustration with strict carry-on size and weight limits, sometimes being forced to check bags they believed met the requirements.
Overall sentiment for Sky Express is polarized. While the airline is appreciated for its modern fleet and vital role in connecting Greek destinations affordably, its operational reliability concerning delays and baggage handling, along with perceived shortcomings in customer service, are significant sources of traveler dissatisfaction.
Safety Information
Sky Express maintains a strong safety record based on available assessments. It holds an impressive safety rating of 7/7 from Airline Ratings. The airline is transparent about its operations and adheres to rigorous maintenance programs to ensure aircraft airworthiness.
Regarding regulatory certifications, Sky Express operates under Air Operator Certificate GR-021 in Greece. As a Greek airline, it falls under the oversight of the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), ensuring compliance with strict European aviation safety standards. Airline Ratings also indicates that Sky Express has "Passed 3/3 Audits".
While its overall safety record is strong, the airline has experienced some notable incidents as documented by AeroInside. These include a de-ice failure on an ATR 72-212A in December 2019, a runway excursion by an ATR 42-500 in July 2019, and an engine problem on an ATR 42-500 in June 2019. Earlier incidents include a gear collapse on a Jetstream 41 in February 2015 and on a BAe Jetstream 31 in February 2009. A ground staff member was also injured by a rotating propeller in October 2017. Despite these incidents, there have been no reports of fatal accidents.
The airline boasts a very young and environmentally friendly fleet, with an average age of 1.6 years for its ATR 72-600 aircraft and 3.1 years for its Airbusneo aircraft. This modern fleet generally implies lower maintenance requirements and incorporates advanced safety features. Sky Express emphasizes its commitment to digital transformation, including paperless cockpit operations and AI-driven route optimization, which contribute to enhanced operational efficiency and safety.
In terms of safety awards or recognitions, Sky Express has received the ERA Airline Excellence Award 2023 and the ERA Innovation Airline Award for both 2023 and 2024 from the European Regions Airline Association (ERA). These awards recognize the airline's strong performance, commitment to innovation, and efforts in sustainability, all of which indirectly contribute to a robust operational and safety culture.
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159 Total RoutesAirline statistics are based on flight route observations collected from FlightAware AeroAPI and other sources. Flight counts represent observed operations, not scheduled frequencies. Route data is continuously updated as new flight information becomes available.
Last Update: Jan 31, 2026 18:04
Coverage: Observed routes only