Ryanair resumes flights from Greece after four-month grounding

ATHENS (Reuters) – Low cost carrier Ryanair resumed flights from Athens after a near four-month grounding due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, it said on Thursday.

A flight from Athens to Rome’s Ciampino airport marked the first of Ryanair’s summer schedule for Athens on June 24. The airline started operating its full schedule on July 1 across 30 routes to destinations including Bologna and Berlin.

Greece reopened its regional airports to international travellers on Wednesday, pinning its hopes on a recovery in tourism after a three-month lockdown.

The country has managed to contain coronavirus infections to 3,409 since its first case in February but its economy is expected to contract by 8% this year, hurt by a slump in tourism.

(Reporting by George Georgiopoulos;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)