Athens Airport Operations Disrupted by Air Traffic Control System Fault

Flight operations at Athens International Airport (AIA) were temporarily disrupted on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, following a technical fault in a key air-surveillance and data transmission system. The incident, which caused delays for both arrivals and departures, highlights ongoing concerns about the reliability of Greece's aging air traffic control infrastructure. It occurred just over a month after a more severe system failure led to a brief nationwide airspace closure.

The February 19 Disruption

The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the government body overseeing aviation in Greece, reported that the problem originated from a data transfer system located on the nearby Merenta Hill. This failure resulted in a short-term reduction in the airport's aircraft handling capacity as air traffic controllers operated with diminished system support. According to a CAA announcement, "specialized personnel from the Civil Aviation Authority immediately carried out diagnostic and corrective measures, and the technical malfunction has been resolved." The authority confirmed that air traffic control services had returned to normal operation following the intervention.

A Pattern of Systemic Failures

This event is the latest in a series of technical issues affecting Greek airspace management. On January 4, 2026, a nationwide collapse of radio frequencies prompted the HCAA to issue a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) and temporarily close the country's airspace within its Flight Information Region (FIR). That incident, which began at 8:59 a.m. local time, led to the grounding of flights across Greece. State broadcaster ERT reported that over 75 flights were delayed at Athens' Eleftherios Venizelos airport alone. At the time, Panagiotis Psarros, chair of the Association of Greek Air Traffic Controllers, told ERT, "For some reason all frequencies were suddenly lost... We could not communicate with aircraft in the sky."

Aging Infrastructure and Controller Warnings

The Greek Air Traffic Controllers Association (GATCA) has repeatedly warned about vulnerabilities in the country's air navigation systems. The association stated that the February 19 incident was a recurring problem, citing a similar loss of communication with the Merenta Hill system in August 2025. Following the January failure, GATCA's chair told Reuters, "We work with the most antiquated systems...in Europe." These statements underscore a persistent trend of underinvestment in critical aviation infrastructure. GATCA has previously noted that due to a separate issue, the Athens Approach was left with only one operational radar out of three, further straining the system's resilience. The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority is responsible for the oversight and maintenance of this infrastructure.

Why This Matters

In my view, these recurring technical faults in Greece are more than just a local operational headache. They represent a significant vulnerability in the broader European aviation network. Greece is a critical air corridor and a major tourism hub, particularly during peak seasons. The inability to guarantee stable air traffic control services poses a direct risk to safety and network efficiency. While the immediate disruptions are managed professionally by controllers, the underlying issue of antiquated technology requires urgent and substantial investment. Without it, Greece risks becoming a point of systemic weakness, undermining passenger confidence and potentially leading to a far more serious incident.

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