Athens, Greece – Air traffic at Athens International Airport and several other Greek airports was halted on Sunday morning following a sudden technical malfunction in the air navigation system.
This led to the temporary suspension of flights, according to the Greek Civil Aviation Authority.
The authority reported that the malfunction occurred shortly before 10:00 AM local time,
and caused widespread disruption to the air traffic management system.
This necessitated taking immediate measures to ensure the safety of aviation and passengers.
Athens International Airport management confirmed the temporary suspension of all incoming
and outgoing flights until the technical situation is assessed and the problem is resolved.
For its part, the Greek Ministry of Transport explained that the malfunction
affected the frequencies of the “Flight Information Region” (FIR).
It is responsible for organizing and directing air traffic within Greek airspace.
Communication between airport towers was disrupted
The ministry added that the technical malfunction led to difficulties in communication between air traffic control towers and aircraft,
which necessitated the imposition of immediate restrictions on air traffic.
In this context, the competent authorities issued an urgent notice to air navigation operators (NOTAM),
which included alerting airlines to the restrictions imposed on air traffic.
With the permission to operate a limited number of partial flights only,
in accordance with strict safety standards, until the ongoing technical investigations are completed.
Shipping sources indicated that the disruption also affected some regional airports within Greece.
Determine the causes of the malfunction
Especially those that rely on central guidance from navigation systems linked to the Athens Flight Information Region,
This caused delays and cancellations of a number of domestic and international flights.
The Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that specialized technical teams immediately began working
to determine the causes of the malfunction and restore the systems to their normal state as quickly as possible.
She stressed that passenger safety remains a top priority, and that the full resumption
of air traffic will only take place after ensuring the efficiency of the technical systems.
While authorities have not yet announced a precise date for air traffic to return to normal, airlines have advised passengers
This is done by following official updates and contacting their companies before heading to the airports,
in anticipation of continued delays in the coming hours.
