Boeing from Olympic Airways heyday exhibited in Elliniko
Α new tourist attraction was created at the site of the former airport at Elliniko, southern Athens, where an old Boeing B727/284 Mount Olympus aircraft has been given a new lease of life as an exhibit.
The aircraft, once part of the fleet of the Olympic Airways commercial airline founded by shipping tycoon Aristotelis Onassis, was one of six bought by Onassis at the end of the 1960s, when the airline was at its heyday.
“This imposing aircraft, as a tourist attraction, will showcase our country’s air travel heritage and be a landmark for the municipality. Because it is not just an exhibit but a living monument of the history of Greek air navigation,” Infrastructure and Transport Minister Christos Staikouras said at the opening on Thursday.
The minister noted the historical importance of the airline and air travel for the growth of the Greek economy and its tourism industry, noting that it was one of the first sectors to attract foreign investment after WWII.
Staikouras said the initiative will enhance the local tourism product and help the growth of the local economy, while also preserving Greece’s cultural heritage.
The exhibit is organized by Zela Aviation and the municipality of Elliniko-Argyroupoli.
