Technical failure at Athens FIR grounds departures across Greece

Flights across Greece were disrupted on Sunday morning after a technical malfunction at the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR), affecting both arrivals and departures at Athens International Airport and regional airports nationwide.

The issue is linked to a failure in the central radio frequency systems used by the Athens and Macedonia Area Control Centres, which are operated by the Civil Aviation Authority. As all aircraft entering Greek airspace must establish contact with these centres, the outage has had an immediate and widespread impact.

Authorities suspended all departures from Greek airports as a precaution, while aircraft already airborne were managed to ensure safe landings. Overflights—aircraft transiting Greek airspace without landing—have been permitted to continue.

According to the Air Traffic Controllers Association, preliminary indications point to a circuit failure, though the exact cause remains under investigation. The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority, working with external partners, has not yet provided a timeline for restoring normal operations.

Source: Ekathiremini