Greece Flight Delays Up 63% Against 2025: Eurocontrol Ranks Greece Third in Europe

Flight delays at Greek airports have increased by 63% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, according to Eurocontrol data published this month. Greece now ranks third in Europe for flight disruptions, behind only France and Italy, and above established congestion points such as Spain and the UK.

Why Greek Airspace Is Under Stress

Three factors are driving the deterioration:

1. Ageing radar infrastructure. The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) is operating primary radar equipment installed in the 1990s at key positions in the Athens FIR (Flight Information Region). Capacity constraints at radar handoff points — particularly around the Aegean island chain — limit the number of aircraft that can be safely managed simultaneously during peak summer traffic.

2. Staffing constraints. Greece has a shortage of certified air traffic controllers at several facilities, including Heraklion approach control, which handles the extremely busy Crete corridor. Controller licensing backlogs have limited how quickly new personnel can be brought online.

3. Middle East airspace rerouting. Ongoing restrictions in parts of the eastern Mediterranean and Levant region are pushing additional eastbound and southbound traffic through Greek airspace, increasing the total load above the levels the current infrastructure was designed to handle during peak season.

Which Airports Are Most Affected

Athens International (ATH): The primary hub, handling connection traffic from across the Aegean. Delays at Athens typically cascade to island airports throughout the day.

Heraklion (HER) and Chania (CHQ): Both Crete airports experience high volumes of charter and point-to-point flights from Northern Europe. Their approach procedures share radar coverage with several island sectors, making them susceptible to sequencing backlogs.

Santorini (JTR) and Mykonos (JMK): Slot-restricted airports where even minor departure delays from origin airports translate to arrival delays due to the precision of slot timing.

What This Means for Your Trip

Delays are concentrated in the afternoon and evening, when the backlog from morning peak operations compounds through the network. Travellers on tight connections through Athens should allow at least two hours as a minimum transfer buffer and consider whether a same-day connection at ATH is realistic given current conditions.

Passengers departing any EU airport, or on any EU-based carrier arriving into an EU airport, have rights under EU Regulation 261/2004 if their delay meets the qualifying thresholds. Our flights to Greece guide covers booking strategy and carrier options, and our Athens airport guide has detailed terminal information and transfer logistics.

What Is Being Done

The HCAA has confirmed an accelerated procurement process for upgraded radar installations, though implementation timelines place the new equipment entering service no earlier than spring 2027. Short-term mitigation measures include revised sector boundaries to redistribute controller workload. The Greek government is also in discussions with EUROCONTROL about contingency support staffing for the peak August fortnight.