Sudden Failure of Communication Systems
The event occurred around 9:00 AM local time. According to Panagiotis Psarros, Chairman of the Association of Greek Air Traffic Controllers, it was a “sudden collapse of all communication frequencies” at the control centers in Athens and Macedonia.
Air traffic controllers were forced to switch to emergency and less efficient procedures. These allow only limited operation and significantly increase the workload and risk of air traffic control.
The investigation into the exact cause of the incident is ongoing. The Ministry of Transport has not yet confirmed that it was a cyberattack, but emphasized the seriousness of the failure and its security dimension.
Flight Suspension and Complications at Major Airports
The temporary closure of airspace affected:
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the international airports of Athens and Thessaloniki,
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Heraklion Airport,
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and a number of island regional airports.
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Airports ceased accepting arrivals and departures, and dozens of flights had to be delayed or diverted to neighboring countries. The impact was felt by both carriers and thousands of passengers, especially during the morning and noon hours.
An extraordinary NOTAM was issued for pilots informing them of restrictions and special operating procedures.
Gradual Restoration of Operations
The situation was partially stabilized in the afternoon hours thanks to the activation of backup communication channels. These allowed traffic control in a limited mode with a capacity of up to approximately 45 departures per hour.
Despite the partial resumption of operations, some processes remained slow, and air traffic gradually returned to normal.
Safety and Economic Impacts
The incident highlighted several key issues:
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limited redundancy of communication infrastructure,
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high dependence on central systems,
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the need to modernize the technical facilities of air traffic control.
Especially in the context of the tourist season, when Greek airports are among the busiest in Europe, a similar event has significant economic impacts and potentially security risks.
What the Crisis Showed: Challenges for the Future
Greek authorities and experts agree that the event is a warning sign. Strengthening the resilience of aviation infrastructure includes not only technical modernization, but also:
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expanding backup systems,
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better integration of national and European structures,
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and regular staff training for crisis scenarios.
Cooperation between state institutions, air navigation service providers and international organizations will be crucial to prevent a similar situation from recurring.
Zdroje: AVweb, AP News, Reuters, Simple Flying
