Major flight delays at Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” on June 10 and 11 have triggered strong reactions from airline SKY express and the Union of Air Traffic Controllers, both of which are calling for accountability from Greece’s Civil Aviation Authority.
The disruptions affected thousands of passengers and airport workers, with the two organizations criticizing the planning and timing of technical inspections carried out at the airport’s approach systems, particularly the Instrument Landing System (ILS).
According to SKY express, the Civil Aviation Authority informed airlines about the inspection only one day before the process began. The airline said it activated all available operational support procedures to reduce the impact on passengers, with airport teams and its operations center working to provide updates and assistance to travelers.
However, the company expressed strong disagreement with the decision to conduct such an extensive inspection during the peak tourism period, arguing that it could have been scheduled months earlier or during nighttime hours to minimize disruption.
SKY express said the lack of timely information and coordination prevented airlines from adjusting their flight schedules, leading to a chain of delays that affected passengers, airline staff, air traffic controllers and airport personnel.
The airline called on the head of the Civil Aviation Authority to take responsibility and urged authorities to ensure that future actions affecting airport operations are accompanied by early communication, impact assessments and a coordinated plan.
Air traffic controllers also criticized the handling of the situation, describing the disruption as unnecessary and avoidable if the Civil Aviation Authority had acted earlier.
In its statement, the union linked the delays to the grounding of the aircraft used by the authority to conduct aerial checks of navigation systems due to a lack of spare parts, as well as delays in finding an alternative solution for the mandatory inspection of Athens airport’s ILS systems.
The controllers said these issues resulted in the inspections taking place during the summer period, when air traffic is significantly increased, placing additional pressure on the aviation system and causing widespread delays.
The union praised the work of air traffic controllers at Athens Approach and the airport control tower, saying they managed an unprecedented volume of traffic safely and professionally under highly demanding conditions.
It also claimed that it had warned since 2025 about the risks linked to the Civil Aviation Authority’s planning, arguing that the situation could lead to the grounding of the inspection aircraft. The union said its warnings were not taken into account and requested clear explanations about the causes behind the recent problems.
