Greek flights restart after radio loss grinds airport operations to halt

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by By News AgenciesJanuary 4, 2026 at 09:38 PM

AI Summary

short article 2 min

On January 4, 2026, a technical issue caused a widespread loss of radio frequencies, leading to the temporary suspension of flights at airports across Greece. The disruption began around 9am local time, impacting most aviation radio frequencies with significant interference. Thousands of travelers were stranded as authorities shut down Greek airspace as a precaution. According to the Association of Greek Air Traffic Controllers, the loss of all frequencies made communication with aircraft impossible. Limited services were restored in the afternoon using backup frequencies, and air traffic has now fully resumed. The cause of the interference is still under investigation, though some blame aging infrastructure.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Reuters 30% Athens 40% Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport 60% Association of Greek Air Traffic Controllers 60% Christos Dimas 70% Panagiotis Psarros 70% Greece ×590%

Keywords

air traffic disruption 90% radio frequency loss 80% greek airspace 70% airport operations 60% technical problem 60% aviation radio 50% flight safety 50% backup frequencies 40%