Overview
- Departures were halted nationwide from about 9:00 a.m. local time as Greek airspace largely cleared, with a staged resumption later in the day still short of full restoration.
- Flight-tracking showed diversions to neighboring countries including Italy, Turkey, Cyprus and Albania, while some overflights through the Athens FIR continued under restrictions.
- Airlines canceled or delayed hundreds of services and advised customers that air-traffic control restrictions were outside their control, triggering duty-of-care obligations under EU261.
- Athens airport reported limited releases aligned to air-traffic capacity, and Israel’s Airports Authority said Greek airspace was expected to remain closed until 4:00 p.m. local time.
- Authorities said safety protocols guided the shutdown, no injuries were reported, and a technical probe with external providers is under way to determine the cause.