04.01.2026 15:40
Due to a technical malfunction in Greek airspace, flights were temporarily suspended at the Athens and Macedonia regional control centers. The disruption in arrivals and departures affected thousands of passengers, while flight services were reduced to a minimum level with the issued NOTAM. Some flights were redirected to Turkey and neighboring countries.
A technical failure that occurred in the airspace of Greece since the morning hours has led to serious disruptions in air traffic. It has been reported that numerous flights have been delayed or canceled, leaving thousands of passengers affected.
TECHNICAL ISSUE IN RADIO FREQUENCIES
According to officials, a technical issue occurred in some radio frequencies used at the Athens and Macedonia regional control centers starting from 09:00. It was noted that the malfunction negatively affected communication between air traffic controllers and pilots, and as a result, landings and takeoffs at airports in Greece were temporarily halted. Officials announced that some aircraft were redirected to Turkey and neighboring countries.
DIRECTED TO DIFFERENT AIRPORTS
It was reported that aircraft in the air during the issue landed using alternative communication methods under safety procedures and, in some cases, were directed to different airports.
FLIGHT SERVICES REDUCED TO MINIMUM LEVEL
While technical teams continue their efforts to resolve the malfunction, it was announced through a NOTAM issued by the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority that flight services have been reduced to a minimum level.
Telecommunications company OTE stated in a press release that no malfunction was detected in their infrastructure during initial checks, but the source of the problem is being investigated in cooperation with civil aviation authorities. Meanwhile, the air traffic controllers' union claimed that issues related to the infrastructure have been known for a long time and expressed that the technical deficiencies in the control centers need to be addressed.