BOSTON — Delta Airlines’ first direct flight from Boston to Athens in twenty-five years opened May 27 at Boston’s Logan Airport with the raising of the Greek flag, Greek dancing by the Metropolis of Boston Dance group, messages and greetings and Greek food and pastries.
The first flight departed on time with one hundred percent capacity. The flight will depart three times a week: Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. For more than an hour before and after departure, music by Mikis Theodorakis was playing at the airport terminal, which caught the attention of many Greek and American passengers and the Boston metropolis dance group under the direction of Dr. John Pappas presented traditional Greek dances in colorful costumes.
Efforts for a direct flight between Boston and Athens began about three years ago by Stratos Efthimiou, Consul General of Greece in Boston and his team, which included Marina Hatsopoulos, Nick Metropoulos, Katerina Makatounis and Stephany Orfanos, whom he publicly thanked at the event.
Michael Dukakis, former Massachusetts governor and 1988 presidential candidate, in his greeting, called the direct flight “historic for the Greek-American community in Boston as it brings the Omogeny closer to New England. of Greece”.
Metropolitan Methodios of Boston sent his greetings and also his blessings for a safe journey.
Massport’s Greek-American chairman Lou Evagelidis expressed his joy for the flight and revealed that his roots came from Epirus.
Pratik Patel, regional manager of Delta Airlines, welcomed the gathering and praised the direct flight from Boston to Athens. Many American and Greek travel agents were also present.
