Communications Failure Forces Greece to Close Airspace, Causing Widespread Flight Disruptions
On Sunday morning, Greece was forced to close its airspace due to a communications failure, resulting in widespread flight cancellations and delays.
Athens International Airport was among the worst affected, with more than 90 flights impacted. Some departures from Athens have since resumed, but inbound flights continue to be diverted or returned to their origin.
Thessaloniki Airport was closed entirely. Flights from Dublin, Barcelona, and Paris were ordered to return to their airports of origin, while services from Copenhagen and Malta were cancelled.
Most inbound flights were diverted to Turkey or cancelled outright.
An initial investigation identified a radio-communications issue, with a suspected antenna failure in the Gerania Mountains near Athens.
Greece is receiving assistance from Italy, Turkey, and Cyprus as it manages the disruption.
