By Konstantinos Konstantinidis Amphiktyon
The prolonged blackout of the Athens FIR, which occurred on January 4 and lasted approximately eight hours, was not a mere “technical incident.” It constituted a serious blow to the functioning of Civil Aviation, with direct consequences for air transport and for the international credibility of the country. The repercussions have not yet been fully remedied.
To this day, no official and convincing explanation has been provided regarding the causes of the disruption. This silence inevitably gives rise to legitimate questions and suspicions. It is no coincidence that even scenarios of sabotage were voiced. However, as long as the competent authorities fail to responsibly inform the Greek people, the information vacuum is filled by rumors. Investigative procedures are reportedly underway, yet this does not justify institutional silence.
All indications suggest that the blackout resulted from a chain collapse of critical infrastructures supporting air traffic control. Possible causes include:
- interruption or instability of the power supply,
- failure of central information technology systems,
- loss or severe degradation of radar and communication systems.
When communication between the Control Tower and aircraft ceases to be fully reliable, safety protocols dictate the obvious: the airspace must be closed. The real question, however, is not why it was closed. The real question is how we reached the point where the entire Athens FIR had to be shut down.
In military and operational planning, there exists one non-negotiable principle: the maintenance of reserves. In Communications especially, redundancy is not a luxury; it is a matter of survival. No serious commander would conduct operations—even in peacetime—without immediately available backup systems. Electronics fail. Power is interrupted. Equipment ages. These are known, predictable, and manageable realities.
And yet, in the case of the Athens FIR, it appears that either adequate reserves did not exist or they failed to function. And if they did exist, then their failure to be activated in a timely manner constitutes criminal negligence.
The questions are relentless:
- Why did the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority find itself without reliable backup support for such a critical system?
- If backups did exist, why were they not activated immediately to prevent total paralysis?
- Why were passengers left in the dark, witnessing mass cancellations and delays without any official briefing?
- Why was the renewal of an obsolete and vulnerable system repeatedly postponed over time, despite obvious warnings?
- Could this ultimately be yet another case of state negligence, which—fortunately—did not evolve into a tragedy like that of Tempe?
This issue does not concern passenger inconvenience alone. It concerns flight safety, the international credibility of the country, and above all, national security. We expect timely and responsible information from the Association of Retired Signal Corps Officers.
Justice must proceed without compromise, and those responsible must be held accountable. Because when critical infrastructures collapse and no one assumes responsibility, the problem is not technical. It is deeply political and institutional.
(6/1/26)
*Amphiktyon
Lieutenant General (ret.) Konstantinos Konstantinidis
Writer – Member of the Society of Greek Writers
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