ATHENS: A series of technical malfunctions at Athens International Airport earlier this week disrupted flight operations and led to widespread delays, said Greek aviation authorities and local media on Friday, reported Xinhua.
On the night of August 19, a radar system malfunction temporarily cut off air traffic control coverage of a key approach point for landings and takeoffs at the airport, while backup frequency transceivers also failed, the English-language edition of Greek newspaper Kathimerini reported.
Although the incident occurred late at night and did not immediately affect operations, delays began to accumulate the following day. Repairs to the radar system were completed on August 20, while the backup transceivers were restored on August 21, officials said.
For safety reasons, air traffic was reduced from a maximum of 28 arrivals and 35 departures per hour to 22 arrivals, the air traffic controllers’ union said. On average, flights were delayed by about 45 minutes, with some delays exceeding an hour.
Eurocontrol data show that Greece continues to be one of the leading sources of flight delays in Europe, with Athens International Airport accounting for 16 per cent of delays in the week ending August 10. – BERNAMA-XINHUA
