What to Know
Tourists love to visit Skiathos International Airport on the northeastern island of Skiathos in Greece. The short runway sits on an island in the Aegean Sea. It’s a fun place for aviation enthusiasts to gather and watch planes land and take off.
On August 10, 2026, a 52-year-old Italian tourist visited Skiathos hoping to watch the planes. She left in an ambulance with a serious head injury. Three days later, a second tourist faced a similar fate. The accidents have raised questions about whether it’s really safe to get so close to the runway.
The woman reportedly hit her head.
Local media outlet To Vima reported that a blast of air from a plane’s engine knocked the woman to the ground, and she hit her head.
Emergency crews initially rushed the unidentified woman from Skiathos International Airport to the island’s medical center for testing before airlifting her to a hospital in Volos on the main island of Greece. The woman’s health status remains unclear.
A second injury occurred at the airport just three days later.
Per Keep Talking Greece, another woman reportedly fell to the ground at Skiathos International Airport on August 13, injuring her arm.
An evaluation uncovered a serious fracture, and the woman went to Skiathos Health Center and Polyclinic for further treatment. While seeing the planes up close is certainly a rush, the recent injuries make many wonder if the thrill seeking is worth the potential danger.
The area reportedly has warning signs for visitors.
The recent injuries made headlines on social media, with others commenting about their own experiences at the airport.
One person pointed out that Skiathos International Airport has signs to warn visitors of the dangers of getting too close.
“The signs are there for a reason. Stand outside the planes wing tips on take off and wear glasses to prevent dust n gravel in your eyes,” they wrote.
This person visited the airport and saw others walk away with minor injuries. “We stayed a safe distance away, two girls who stood nearer were hit by flying debris ,luckily only a few cuts and bruises.”
Some don’t understand the intrigue of getting so close to the planes. “I had to take a flight from Skiathos to Bari last year and decided to walk to the airport from Skiathos city, as it is very close. I didn’t realize how close I was to the runway until I saw a huge group of plane spotters gathered. Luckily I could get a ride on the back of an old guy’s moped, because I would have had to walk with the entire runway at a few meters distance. I genuinely don’t see the fun in it,” someone wrote.
The Facebook page Skiathos Addicts recommends watching the planes take off from the airport from distances farther away that are “much safer for you.” Planes can be seen landing and taking off from Xanemos Beach, restaurants along Paraliakos, the road near the airport, or in the area of Bourtzi, per the Facebook page.
