Air traffic in the Athens FIR is gradually returning to limited operation after a serious technical issue caused widespread disruption earlier on Monday morning.
According to Greece’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, a partial restoration has been achieved, allowing some aircraft to land and depart. The disruption began at around 9.30am due to significant problems affecting radio frequencies in Greek airspace, effectively creating a temporary “blackout” at airports.
Shortly before 1pm, authorities announced that a small number of departures and arrivals had resumed. However, capacity within Greek airspace remains extremely restricted.
Impact at Athens Airport
At Athens International Airport, the situation developed as follows:
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Eight departing aircraft returned to parking stands.
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Three inbound flights were diverted to other airports.
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Four departures were cancelled.
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A total of 75 flights were delayed.
Permission was later granted for aircraft travelling north, east and south to depart at four-minute intervals, regardless of aircraft type.
Ongoing coordination and investigation
In a subsequent update, the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority said that efforts to restore the frequencies serving the Athens FIR are continuing in coordination with external technical bodies. Operational coordination is also taking place with EUROCONTROL.
“For safety reasons, up to 35 departures and arrivals from Greek airports are currently being handled, along with partial transit traffic across three sectors,” the authority said. It added that the technical issue, described as unprecedented in scale, remains under investigation and that further announcements will follow. An updated NOTAM has already been issued.
Flights to and from Cyprus affected
The disruption has also affected flights to and from Cyprus, according to information from Hermes Airports, the operator of Cyprus’ airports.
Information on arriving flights at Athens airport
Information on departing flights from Athens airport
At Larnaca Airport, three flights are currently affected: two departures, operated by Aegean and Sky Express, and one arrival operated by Aegean. Approximately 500 passengers are impacted.
At Paphos Airport, an afternoon Ryanair flight to Athens, scheduled for 16:20, is also expected to be affected if the technical issue is not resolved.
For other flights bound for Cyprus that would normally transit Greek airspace, airlines are in the process of revising flight plans to avoid the Athens FIR by using alternative routes.
Passengers are advised to closely monitor announcements from their airlines for the latest updates.