Air traffic across Greece came to a sudden halt on Sunday after a major radio frequency disruption, according to reports from state television. The unexpected incident led to the suspension of all flights, causing the airspace over Greece to empty as aircraft were grounded nationwide, said reports. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the issue.
Flights suspended, passengers stranded at airports
The disruption reportedly began around 9:00 AM local time (0700 GMT), with airports across the country halting both arrivals and departures. Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport in Athens saw large crowds of passengers gathered at the departure terminals, many unsure when their flights would be able to take off.
Greek airspace, especially over the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR), was largely empty as flight-tracking data showed no planes flying in the area. While some overflights continued, all airport operations were paused as a safety measure.
Neighboring countries divert flights
Several flights were redirected to nearby countries due to the airspace closure. The Airports Authority in Israel confirmed that Greece’s airspace would remain closed until 4:00 PM local time, warning travelers to expect significant delays or cancellations.
Passengers took to social media to express frustration, with one post from Greek City Times reading: “Security Check-In Closed Since 9 AM! Due to the ongoing radio frequency failure in Greek airspace, NO takeoffs possible nationwide. Security check-in & departures halted at Athens International since 9 AM.”
With the Athens FIR effectively closed, long queues of frustrated travelers began to build at all Greek airports. Airlines have started issuing alerts about delays and cancellations, and passengers are being advised to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport.
Moreover, no estimated time for a fix has been given.
