Radio Glitch Grounds Greece: Outdated Aviation Systems Under Scrutiny

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The publish Radio Glitch Grounds Greece: Outdated Aviation Systems Under Scrutiny appeared first on TD (Travel Daily Media) Travel Daily Media.

On Sunday, 4th January, travellers at airports all through Greece discovered themselves stranded by what has finally been decided as a glitch affecting the nation’s outdated aviation communication programs.

Per a report printed by Reuters on Monday, fifth January, air visitors controllers at Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelosere (AIA) had been guiding planes towards the runway when radio communications failed, bewilderingly changed by a high-pitched whistling noise.

Two controllers and a member of airport administration at AIA who had been on obligation in the course of the incidence mentioned that controllers virtually instantly misplaced contact with the majority of plane inside the nation’s airspace on the time, together with a number of dozen plane on the verge of touchdown.

While the problem continues to be underneath investigation as of press time, the Greek Civil Aviation Authority is severely trying on the outdated gear nonetheless in use in airports all through the nation.

Unprecedented, however…

As consultants interviewed by In-Cyprus identified, the unusual whistling noise heard when communications went lifeless usually have an effect on only one transmission centre at a time.

Otherwise, these happen as remoted incidents which were efficiently addressed up to now.

While Greek authorities say that this present state of affairs is unprecedented, it might be recalled {that a} comparable incident affected airport operations on a worldwide reduce in July 2024.

In that case, nonetheless, it was decided that the breakdown was attributable to a bug in the latest replace for cybersecurity resolution CrowdStrike, a system utilized by virtually each airport on the earth.

For the Greek state of affairs, nonetheless, it’s turning into clearer that this may increasingly not essentially be a software program problem and investigators have severe doubts that the nation’s airports had been hit by a web based assault.

Indeed, the problem might have been on account of one thing that has wanted to be addressed for some time now: communications programs at these airports have lengthy wanted upgrades if not outright alternative.

At current, Greek airports use circuits from nationwide telecommunications supplier OTE, which has assured the general public as of fifth January that the mentioned circuits are absolutely operational. 

Despite this, some consultants have identified that a lot of Greece’s airport communications infrastructure wants severe refurbishment or full alternative with fashionable, extra dependable gear.

It ought to be famous that the Greek Air Traffic Controllers Union launched a press release declaring: “Today’s situation did not arise suddenly; it was pre-announced.”

The union has likewise demanded that airport officers conduct a right away overhaul of facility programs all through the nation.

So, what occurs now?

As of Monday, the Greek authorities has emphatically declared airport modernisation is at present ongoing and that the set up of recent communications gear nationwide can be carried out a while in 2028.

Officials additionally claimed that these new programs can be compliant with the related requirements set by the European Union for airport communications.

Ironically, as of December 2025, the European Commission really referred to as out the Greek authorities for failing to implement sure navigation procedures designed to spice up security in low-visibility situations.

For many airport staff all through Greece, nonetheless, any type of upgrades will come too little, too late.

As Association of Greek Air Traffic Controllers Pangiotis Psarros put it: “This incident as soon as once more exposes the important weaknesses of outdated and underfunded air visitors administration infrastructure. Safety was maintained because of human experience, however this can’t proceed to compensate for systemic deficiencies.”

The publish Radio Glitch Grounds Greece: Outdated Aviation Systems Under Scrutiny appeared first on Travel Daily Media.

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