Polichnitos Airfield

The closure was due to a combination of economic and regulatory factors. The airfield was a private initiative by the local Mytilene Aeroclub and lacked official certification from the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA). Without official status, it could not secure public funding or generate significant revenue. The lack of funds for maintenance, development (such as paving the runway), and operational oversight, combined with insufficient flight activity to sustain it, led to its eventual abandonment.

The site is currently abandoned and derelict. Satellite imagery confirms the location contains a visible but completely unusable runway. The unpaved dirt/gravel strip, approximately 700-800 meters long, is severely overgrown with weeds and shrubs and shows signs of erosion. There are no hangars, terminal buildings, or any other aviation infrastructure remaining on the site. The land is unused and has effectively reverted to a rural field.

The airfield's significance is primarily local. It was constructed in the late 1990s or early 2000s as a grassroots project by the Mytilene Aeroclub. Its purpose was to establish a facility for general aviation, specifically for ultralight and light sport aircraft, on the western side of Lesbos island. This would provide a convenient alternative to the main Mytilene International Airport (LGMT), which is located on the eastern coast. The airfield represented an effort to promote recreational flying and improve connectivity within the island for private pilots. Operations were strictly limited to private, small aircraft and it never handled any commercial, cargo, or military traffic.

There are no known official plans or credible prospects for reopening Polichnitos Airfield. The focus of aviation development on the island of Lesbos remains entirely on the Mytilene International Airport "Odysseas Elytis" (LGMT). The significant financial investment required to clear the land, construct a paved runway, build necessary infrastructure, and complete the rigorous certification process with aviation authorities makes its revival highly improbable. Any discussion about its reopening is purely speculative and not backed by any governmental or private-sector initiatives.