Olympic Airlines

Olympic Airlines was the flag carrier of Greece, operating domestic and international routes for decades. Originally founded as Technical Air Transport in 1957 by shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, it was rebranded as Olympic Airways and became synonymous with Greek aviation. The airline operated under the Olympic Airways name before restructuring led to the creation of Olympic Airlines as a separate entity in 2003. The airline struggled with persistent financial losses, labor disputes, and EU pressure over illegal state subsidies throughout its history. After years of attempts to privatize and restructure the carrier, Olympic Airlines ceased operations in September 2009 when the Greek government sold its assets to Marfin Investment Group, which launched a new private carrier called Olympic Air. Olympic Airlines played a central role in Greek civil aviation for over half a century, serving as a symbol of national identity while connecting Athens and regional Greek cities to major European and international destinations.