Dispatchers after the Athens FIR blackout: “There will be serious problems in the summer”

Photo from airport El. Venizelos on January 4, when the Athens flight information zone was closed due to a technical fault

Air traffic controllers in Greece announced full confirmation of its many years of warnings after the publication of the report of the commission of inquiry blackout in FIR Athenswhat happened January 4, 2026 and paralyzing flights at Greek airports.

As emphasized in the statement Hellenic Air Traffic Controllers Union (ΕΕΕΚΕ)the commission’s findings clearly confirm obsolescence of equipment And serious administrative failures V Υπηρεσία Πολιτικής Αεροπορίας (ΥΠΑ — Civil Aviation Authority).

According to dispatchers, safe completion of flights that day became possible solely thanks to professionalism of employees and the decision on complete closure of airspace (zero rate). The report itself records many hours of delay in diagnosing the cause of the accident, lack of coordination between management levels and virtual lack of security guarantees for mission critical voice communication system.

“The system won’t last in the summer”

The report emphasizes that the exact cause of the incident cannot be determinedsince it could be caused by “many factors” Combined with the recognition that there is no way to provide real guarantees of reliable operation voice communication systems, this, according to dispatchers, makes impossible to operate KEPAΘΜ at 100% of rated capacity.

ΕΕΕΚΕ insists on immediate safety assessmentas required by European regulations, and warns that servicing summer peak traffic under current conditions is impossible.

VHF, contracts and liability

The report also indicates the urgent need to install new VHF transmitters. Air traffic controllers emphasize that delay in signing the contract from management ΥΠΑ led to delays in equipment deliveries. If this hadn’t happened, the January 4 incident might have been prevented.

Additional criticism also applies to the project VCRS KEPAΘΜwhich the UPA leadership has repeatedly presented as “restarted” despite the fact that, according to dispatchers, this was not true.

“Dangerous Perseverance”

It is especially emphasized that the management ΥΠΑ despite warnings insisted on immediate return of throughput to 100% levelwithout a gradual increase and without eliminating the causes of the failure.

After the publication of the report, according to ΕΕΕΚΕ, this position looks like direct administrative responsibility with specific names. The Union calls Minister of Infrastructure and Transport intervene immediately reduce throughput capacity And ensure flight safetyand not become “accomplice to management failure“

“The UPA leadership systematically assured that “everything is under control,” and even tried intimidate employees with disciplinary measuresto hide the real state of affairs. Now reality has refuted these statements in the most dramatic way.” – the statement emphasizes.

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