The Crete Aviation Observatory (CAO) has released its 2026 Passenger and Airline Research Report, presenting a data-driven assessment of passenger experiences and travel patterns at Chania International Airport (CHQ).

Based on passenger responses, the study examines airline satisfaction, perceived value for money, environmental considerations and the relationship between airline choice and tourism behaviour.

Key Findings

  • 63.6% of respondents reported high overall satisfaction with their airline, with an average rating of 3.69/5.
  • 42.1% indicated that airline environmental policies do not influence their choice of carrier.
  • Significant differences were identified across airlines in passenger satisfaction, accommodation preferences and travel characteristics.

Beyond conventional passenger statistics, the research adopts a data-driven analytical approach, integrating passenger experiences, airline-specific insights and travel behaviour to identify meaningful patterns across Chania’s aviation market.

By examining the relationships between airline choice, passenger satisfaction and tourism characteristics, the study transforms survey data into actionable aviation intelligence, supporting a deeper understanding of airline markets, passenger segments and destination dynamics.

The findings also reveal that airlines serving the same airport are associated with distinct tourism demand profiles, highlighting the strategic relevance of integrating aviation intelligence with destination analytics.

Beyond Passenger Numbers

The CAO Research Report 2026 provides a multidimensional analytical perspective on Chania’s aviation market, with implications for airline positioning, route development, airport strategy and tourism planning.

The study was conducted by Dimitris Zopounidis, Founder & Lead Researcher of the Crete Aviation Observatory, Founder of Zopounidis Group and PhD Candidate at the Data Science Laboratory of the Technical University of Crete.

The full report presents detailed airline-level comparisons, statistical findings and strategic insights into the evolving relationship between air transport and tourism in Crete.

Crete Aviation Observatory | CAO Research 2026

Passenger Intelligence – Airline Analytics – Tourism – Sustainability