Overview

• Flights are prohibited from about 10pm until at least 5am, and sometimes until 7am, to avoid disrupting loggerhead turtles during nesting and hatching
• The curfew was introduced in the early 1990s after studies showed aircraft noise and lights interfere with the island’s vital sea turtle population
• Several TikTok users reported cancellations just minutes before the 10pm deadline, underscoring how the rule catches unprepared passengers off guard
• Zakynthos’s National Marine Park enforces strict beach measures, including bans on vehicles, equipment and certain activities to safeguard turtle habitats
• Airport officials and tour operators are advising holiday-makers to confirm flight times and review local conservation regulations before traveling