Greek Air Traffic Controllers Ramp Up Protest: "Prepare for Even Longer Delays" as Overtime Ban Looms

Air traffic controllers at Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos) are intensifying their industrial action, slashing flight capacity and warning passengers of escalating delays that could stretch up to three hours by evening.

The move, already in effect since last Friday, stems from a bitter standoff with the Greek Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport over outdated equipment and controversial reforms, leaving travelers – many of them international visitors to Greece's sun-soaked shores – caught in the crossfire.

In a stark reduction from the summer peak, controllers are now handling just 28 aircraft movements (takeoffs and landings) per hour, down from 36, in line with technical limits of the current air navigation system. The result? Morning flights are running 15-20 minutes late, but by late afternoon, delays balloon to as much as three hours, primarily hitting arrivals and departures. Airlines like Ryanair have voiced frustration, especially as Greece's tourism boom shows no signs of slowing.

"We urge passengers to contact their airline before heading to the airport for any schedule changes," a statement from airport authorities advised, as frustrated travelers report chaos at check-in counters and gates.

The escalating tensions trace back to a week-long partial work-to-rule action, where controllers have already cut serviced flights by 25% per hour. But sources close to the Hellenic Union of Air Traffic Controllers (EEEKE) reveal a bolder step: a planned permanent halt to all overtime for the next two years, starting in 2026 and 2027. This would lock in the reduced 28-movement cap, potentially paralyzing Greece's vital aviation sector during peak travel seasons.

At the heart of the dispute is the ministry's sluggish rollout of modern radar systems and other safety-critical upgrades, which controllers say jeopardize flight security. Compounding the issue are proposed administrative shake-ups at the Civil Aviation Service (CAA) via a bill now in public consultation – changes the union views as meddling that undermines their expertise.

Communication between the union and the ministry has completely broken down, with no dialogue in sight. EEEKE's board is hurtling toward all-out confrontation: An emergency general assembly is set for Monday, October 8, where members will vote on exiting overtime rotations for 2026-2027 and empower the board to launch strikes if needed.

"This is the ministry's refusal to engage that's forcing our hand," a union representative told TA NEA, dismissing government jabs at their pay as a "diversionary tactic." Controllers earn gross salaries that can top €120,000 annually for veterans, bolstered by Eurocontrol allowances – a figure Transport Minister Christos Dimas recently called "significant by Greek state standards." He added: "They are taxed accordingly and entitled under regulations. Yet they demand more..."

The union fires back, insisting net pay ranks a lowly 33rd out of 38 European countries, far from the lavish sums portrayed. "These accusations distract from the real crisis: underinvestment in our tools and safety," they said in a statement.

As Greece's airports hum with late-season tourists from across Europe and beyond, the showdown risks rippling far beyond Athens. For the Greek diaspora keeping tabs from afar – or planning a homecoming trip – this could mean rerouted reunions and disrupted escapes to the islands. Airlines are scrambling to adjust, but with high season lingering, the skies over Hellas look increasingly turbulent.

(Source: Ta Nea)