Athens, Greece – A technical issue affecting the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR) on Sunday, January 4, 2026, led to widespread flight disruptions across Greece, impacting both Athens International Airport and regional hubs. Amidst the chaos, Greek airline SKY Express confirmed the cancellation of only two flights, successfully operating the remainder of its schedule with necessary adjustments to departure times.
Technical Glitch Paralyzes Greek Airspace
The problem, which emerged shortly before 10:0.0 AM on Sunday, was traced to a malfunction in the central radio frequency systems of the Athens and Macedonia Area Control Centers. These systems are crucial for maintaining communication between pilots and air traffic controllers, ensuring safe navigation through Greek airspace. The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) promptly issued a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) implementing a “zero rate” for flights, effectively halting all departures and arrivals to and from Greek airports for safety reasons. [ekathimerini.com](https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1291513/flights-disrupted-by-technical-issue-at-athens-fir/) [en.protothema.gr](https://en.protothema.gr/2026/01/04/greek-fir-closed-landings-and-takeoffs-at-the-countrys-airports-impossible-due-to-a-technical-issue-with-radio-frequencies/) [greekreporter.com](https://greekreporter.com/2026/01/04/greece-ground-all-flights-fir-technical-failure/) [keeptalkinggreece.com](https://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2026/01/04/flights-greece-suspended-jan4-technical-issue-radio-frequencies/)
Initial reports indicated that only aircraft already airborne were being managed, with landings conducted “manually” without the full use of automated systems. The disruption significantly impacted Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” due to its high volume of flights, particularly during the holiday period. Regional airports also experienced diversions and cancellations.
SKY Express Minimizes Impact
In an official announcement, SKY Express stated that despite the “particularly difficult conditions,” it managed to limit cancellations to just two flights. The airline emphasized that its operational mechanisms responded immediately, prioritizing passenger safety and striving to minimize inconvenience. The majority of their flight schedule proceeded with adjusted departure times.
“The day was extremely demanding; however, the company’s operational mechanism responded immediately and with swift decisions, giving absolute priority to passenger safety and minimizing inconvenience,” stated SKY Express.
The airline reiterated its commitment to ensuring safe and reliable service for its passengers and pledged to continue all possible efforts in this regard.
Wider Impact and Restoration Efforts
The technical malfunction caused widespread chaos, with long queues forming at Athens International Airport and other regional airports. Major airlines like Aegean, British Airways, EasyJet, and Ryanair also announced cancellations and diversions. Some flights bound for Athens were rerouted to cities such as Rome, Dubrovnik, Budapest, and Tirana. [independent.co.uk](https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/greece-airspace-flight-cancellations-athens-aegean-airlines-b2894191.html)
Technical teams worked diligently to resolve the issue. Around noon on Sunday, flights gradually began to resume as authorities managed to utilize alternative radio frequencies. The Ministry of Transport confirmed that the management of frequency restoration was ongoing in coordination with external bodies and EUROCONTROL. They announced that up to 35 departures and arrivals from Greek airports were being served, along with partial transit traffic in three sectors. [keeptalkinggreece.com](https://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2026/01/04/flights-greece-suspended-jan4-technical-issue-radio-frequencies/)
While the exact causes of the problem remain under investigation, preliminary reports pointed to a circuit failure, with no indications of sabotage or malicious action. Some media outlets highlighted that the communications equipment was approximately 25 years old, raising concerns about the need for modernization of flight systems, a request repeatedly made by the Air Traffic Controllers Association. [keeptalkinggreece.com](https://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2026/01/04/flights-greece-suspended-jan4-technical-issue-radio-frequencies/)
Christos Dimas, a prominent figure, has called for a full clarification of the causes that led to this technical problem in the Athens FIR.
Sources:
- TornosNews.gr
- Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA)
- Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos”
- SKY Express Official Announcement
- [ekathimerini.com](https://www.ekathimerini.com/news/1291513/flights-disrupted-by-technical-issue-at-athens-fir/)
- [en.protothema.gr](https://en.protothema.gr/2026/01/04/greek-fir-closed-landings-and-takeoffs-at-the-countrys-airports-impossible-due-to-a-technical-issue-with-radio-frequencies/)
- [greekreporter.com](https://greekreporter.com/2026/01/04/greece-ground-all-flights-fir-technical-failure/)
- [independent.co.uk](https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/greece-airspace-flight-cancellations-athens-aegean-airlines-b2894191.html)
- [keeptalkinggreece.com](https://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2026/01/04/flights-greece-suspended-jan4-technical-issue-radio-frequencies/)
