Greece temporarily shut down its airspace after a widespread radio communications failure disrupted air traffic control operations nationwide. While the sudden outage raised concerns about a possible cyberattack, Greek authorities have publicly ruled out malicious digital activity based on initial findings. Investigations remain ongoing as officials assess aging infrastructure, systemic vulnerabilities, and operational resilience within critical aviation systems.

Modern air traffic management relies on redundant radio communication channels to maintain continuous contact between controllers and aircraft. Any disruption to these systems can force immediate safety-driven shutdowns. In recent years, aviation authorities across Europe have faced increasing scrutiny over infrastructure modernization, particularly as cyber threats and technical failures grow more difficult to distinguish in real time.

On Sunday, Greece’s airspace was partially closed after air traffic controllers detected abnormal noise across multiple radio communication channels. The interference affected both primary and backup systems, prompting authorities to halt operations as a precautionary measure.

Flights were grounded, delayed, or diverted for several hours. Incoming aircraft were rerouted to neighboring countries, creating cascading disruptions across the region. According to Eurocontrol, approximately 120 flights were grounded at Greece’s largest airports in Athens and Thessaloniki.

By late Sunday, operations began to resume gradually, though delays and backlogs extended into early Monday.

The Greek Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that the incident stemmed from radio-frequency noise impacting all available communication channels simultaneously. Such interference can degrade signal clarity to the point where safe coordination between pilots and controllers becomes impossible.

Importantly, officials emphasized that backup systems were also affected, indicating a systemic technical failure rather than a localized outage. While the exact root cause remains unknown, early indicators point to equipment or signal integrity issues rather than unauthorized digital intrusion.

Thousands of passengers were stranded, and airlines faced operational and logistical challenges across southeastern Europe. While no safety incidents were reported, the outage highlighted how non-cyber technical failures can still produce large-scale disruptions comparable to cyber incidents.

The disruption also reinforced long-standing concerns raised by Greece’s Air Traffic Controllers’ Association regarding outdated infrastructure and delayed modernization efforts.

Even in the absence of a cyberattack, this incident demonstrates how fragile critical transportation systems can be when legacy technologies fail. As aviation systems become more interconnected, distinguishing between technical malfunction and cyber interference is increasingly complex—but essential for accurate response and public trust.

Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis stated there was “not the slightest indication” of a cyberattack, while Transport and Infrastructure Minister Christos Dimas described the event as “a very serious incident,” despite affirming that passenger safety was never compromised.

A judicial inquiry, an internal technical investigation, and a multi-agency committee—including civil aviation authorities, the air force, Eurocontrol, and a state cyberdefense agency—have been launched to determine the precise cause.