British tourists flying from Zakynthos are being caught out by Zante airport's 10pm night curfew, introduced to protect nesting loggerhead turtles, which can delay late flights until the following dayMilo Boyd Deputy Travel Editor & Commercial Writer11:09, 28 May 2026Updated 11:11, 28 May 2026Tourists have found themselves stranded on a Greek island due to a little-known regulation.‌At the end of a long trip, the last thing a holidaymaker wants is to find themselves stuck at the airport without a flight.‌There are many reasons why you might be stopped from jetting off, particularly this summer, when so many airlines are cutting down their schedules due to the impacts of the Iran War.‌However, on the Greek island of Zakynthos, better known as Zante, an ecological law means holidaymakers can find themselves stuck at the airport overnight without a flight in sight."I had a journey from hell back from Zante about two days ago," TikTok user NKD Zante revealed in a recent clip. "What is meant to be about a four hour journey home ended up being over 24 hours."Have you been swept up in flight chaos? Email webtravel@reachplc.com‌Content cannot be displayed without consentThe TikToker wasn't caught up in your typical airport mayhem, however, but instead fell victim to a Zante-specific rule that can leave your holiday ending on a thoroughly miserable note."Basically, my flight home was meant to be at 10pm, and at five to 10 I knew we'd be delayed as we weren't boarding the flight. But at literally five to 10 they announced on the speaker 'sorry everyone, flight has been delayed until tomorrow'," NKD Zante explained.‌"We were like, 'what do you mean?' We had to go back to arrivals, get all our luggage. They took us to the front of the airport, gave us 15 euros snack vouchers for some crisps and stuff, and then it was another three hour wait while they tried to organise the rest of us to find a place to stay, transfers."They said they had no idea when our flight would be the next morning, and that they'd just text us with the new time the next day. But basically, pretty much everything at Zante Airport shuts at 10pm. So if you have booked a really late flight and it gets delayed for whatever reason, past 10pm, they will just delay you to the next day. I didn't know this obviously, but apparently it has happened to six or seven flights in Zante Airport this summer. So yeah, lesson learned, don't book a late flight home if you're flying from Zante."Zakynthos International Airport (ZTH), frequently used for destinations such as Santorini and Kefalonia, brought in night flight restrictions in the early 1990s to safeguard loggerhead sea turtles. These creatures are indigenous to the Mediterranean and lay their eggs on neighbouring beaches. The shores of Zakynthos rank among the most vital nesting locations in the whole region, with roughly 80% of the Mediterranean loggerhead turtle population nesting here.‌Safeguarding their breeding areas is essential as these turtles are listed as endangered owing to dangers including habitat destruction and human interference.Loggerhead sea turtles are especially active during the night. They are susceptible to the noise and illumination from aircraft, particularly throughout their breeding season. The sound and light from planes can interfere with the turtles' nesting behaviour, which can prove detrimental to the marine creatures and their eggs. In a bid to minimise disruption, Zakynthos airport has introduced a night curfew running from sunset until 7am, banning flights during the hours when the turtles are at their most active.Article continues belowOther Greek islands have also introduced measures to safeguard the turtles, including restricting access to nesting beaches after dark and cutting back on artificial lighting. Together, these efforts give both nesting females and hatchlings the best possible chance of making it.Travel Republic offers the following guidance for those planning to visit Zakynthos this summer: "Night flights to and from Zakynthos are limited as part of a long-standing effort to protect the island's endangered loggerhead turtles. This reflects a growing commitment across the travel industry to support responsible tourism and environmental conservation. It's certainly something for holidaymakers to be aware of, but by adjusting flight schedules to align with local curfews, airlines and travel providers are helping safeguard the ecosystem."Passengers at Zante Airport have faced other delay issues in recent weeks. The introduction of the Entry/Exit System this month has led to long waits for those entering the country, reports EPT News.