The head of Greece’s Civil Aviation Authority (ΥΠΑ), George Saounatsos, has clarified that the recent blackout affecting the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR) did not compromise flight safety and shows no evidence of a cyberattack.
Speaking about the incident, Saounatsos explained that the disruption involved simultaneous malfunctions in three separate communication networks that normally operate independently. The problem was caused by persistent interference occupying the radio frequencies used by the FIR, effectively preventing operational communication.
“At no point during this unusual event was the safety of any flight affected,” Saounatsos emphasized. He warned against spreading unverified claims, noting that false reports could be legally punishable.
Initial technical analysis identified the source of the interference as uncontrolled transmissions from the authority’s own radio equipment. A special investigative committee, appointed by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, has been formed to examine the incident in detail.
Saounatsos also stressed that the incident was not due to lack of maintenance, though he acknowledged the aging of the systems. Over the past 20 months, the authority, with ministerial support, has been actively working to replace and modernize critical communication infrastructure.
Greek authorities, including the Hellenic Police Cybercrime Unit, are continuing their investigation to confirm the findings and ensure the incident is fully understood.
This announcement comes after speculation about potential cyberattacks, reassuring airlines and passengers that operational safety was maintained throughout the blackout.
