Since its inception in 1999, Aegean Airlines has become one of the most successful and respected airlines in Europe. It is the largest domestic carrier in Greece and the second largest airline in the country after Olympic Air. The airline is headquartered in Kifisia, a suburb of Athens, and operates scheduled services to over 100 destinations across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

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Aegean Airlines was established in 1999 as Aegean Aviation by the late Theodoros Vassilakis and his wife Efthymia Vassilaki. The original fleet included three Boeing 737-400 aircraft. The airline was originally focused on charter services, but quickly expanded to offer scheduled services to destinations across Greece and Europe.

In 2001, Aegean Airlines was the first Greek airline to be awarded the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification. This certification is an industry standard for airline safety, and it is still held by the airline today. In 2004, the airline was also awarded the European Regional Airlines Association’s (ERA) Airline of the Year award for its strong safety record.

In 2005, Aegean Airlines became the first airline to join the Star Alliance, the largest global airline alliance. In the same year, the airline also launched its first international route to Amsterdam. This was the first of many international routes, which today include destinations in Russia, Turkey, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates.

In 2006, Aegean Airlines acquired Olympic Air, which at the time was the third largest airline in Greece. This acquisition marked a major milestone in the history of Aegean Airlines, as it allowed the airline to expand its reach and increase its market share. The two airlines merged in 2012, and today they operate as one.

In 2008, Aegean Airlines became the first airline in Europe to order the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. This aircraft is the newest and most advanced model of the 737 series, and it is much more fuel efficient than its predecessors. This marked a major milestone in the history of the airline, as it allowed the airline to reduce its fuel costs and improve its environmental performance.

In 2016, Aegean Airlines became the first airline in Europe to be certified as a 4-Star Airline by Skytrax, a leading airline and airport review agency. This certification is a testament to the airline’s commitment to providing an excellent customer experience.

In 2019, Aegean Airlines was awarded the Airline of the Year award by the Airline Analyst, an independent industry publication. This award was given for the airline’s strong performance in terms of customer satisfaction, financial performance, and safety.

Throughout its history, Aegean Airlines has experienced only one major incident. In 2010, an Aegean Airlines flight from Athens to Thessaloniki was involved in a mid-air collision with a small private plane. Fortunately, no one was injured, and the incident was attributed to a navigational error on the part of the private plane. The incident did not result in any federal investigations or penalties.

Today, Aegean Airlines is one of the most successful airlines in Europe. The airline is the largest domestic carrier in Greece, and it operates a fleet of more than 50 aircraft. The airline is committed to providing an excellent customer experience and has achieved many milestones in its 20-year history.