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Greece Grounds Flights After ATC Radio Failure as First Departures Restart

Union leaders blamed outdated equipment as controllers switched to backup frequencies following a central communications failure.

Overview

  • The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority reported a breakdown of central radio and inter-controller communications affecting the Athens and Macedonia sectors.
  • Greek airspace appeared nearly empty on Flightradar24 as arrivals and departures were halted and overflights were rerouted.
  • By midday local time, initial takeoffs and landings resumed using alternative frequencies, with no estimate for full restoration.
  • Authorities said they are working with telecom provider Cosmote to fix the outage, and union officials rejected a cyberattack as the cause.
  • Ripple effects hit European airports, with cancellations and heavy delays reported, including Aegean’s DüsseldorfAthens service.