04.01.2026 20:43
Due to a technical malfunction in Greek airspace, 90 flights were affected; the President of the Air Traffic Controllers Union announced that the malfunction occurred due to the outdated equipment being used.
The President of the Air Traffic Controllers Union, Panayotis Psaros, who made a statement regarding the technical malfunction that has been occurring for hours in the Greek airspace (FIR Athens), stated that the equipment used is outdated.
Speaking to the Greek Radio and Television Corporation ERT, Psaros made a statement regarding the technical malfunction that occurred in the Greek airspace.
THE CAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTION HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED
Psaros pointed out that the equipment used is old and stated that the causes of the problem should be investigated and those responsible should be identified.
Noting that all radio frequencies used in the Athens and Macedonia Area Control Centers have been disabled since 09:00, Psaros expressed that these centers are responsible for the control of FIR Athens, which covers the entire Greek airspace.
"A SIMILAR ISSUE OCCURRED LAST YEAR"
Emphasizing that there is no official determination regarding the cause of the technical malfunction, Psaros mentioned that the equipment has been outdated for a long time and reminded that a similar issue affected Athens Airport at the local level last year. Psaros also added that no evidence of sabotage was found in the incident.
WHAT HAPPENED?
According to news reports in the Greek press, due to the technical malfunction in FIR Athens, 8 aircraft returned to their parking positions by 12:50, 3 aircraft were redirected to other airports, 4 flights were canceled, and delays occurred in 75 flights.
The disruptions caused long waiting times at airports, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.