• Communication System Failure Halts Landings and Takeoffs in Greece
• Hundreds of flights and passengers across Europe affected

A technical failure in communication systems caused widespread disruption to air traffic over Greece, leaving thousands of passengers stranded across various European countries after the temporary closure of Greek airspace.

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Authorities explained that a glitch in wireless communications occurred on Sunday, leading to the suspension of landings and takeoffs while investigations were underway to determine the cause of the incident.

Some departing flights were allowed to resume operations.

Athens International Airport was among the most affected, while Thessaloniki Airport was completely closed.

The timing of the disruption caused concern among travelers, as many were unable to return to work at the start of the week.

Passengers reported that they had not received clear information about their flight schedules or potential compensation.

More than ninety flights at Athens Airport alone were affected, while incoming flights from Dublin, Barcelona, and Paris had to return, and other flights from Copenhagen and Malta were canceled.

Authorities stated that most incoming flights were rerouted to Turkey, while other airports within Greece were also affected, including Heraklion Airport on the island of Crete.

The President of the Greek Air Traffic Controllers Association noted that all communication frequencies were suddenly cut, preventing contact with aircraft in flight.

Preliminary reports indicated that the likely cause was an airborne system failure in the Gerania Mountains near Athens, while Italy, Turkey, and Cyprus provided support to Greece in managing the crisis.