Athens Airport passengers warned of delays during Navigation System Checks

Passengers travelling through Athens International Airport on Wednesday and Thursday are being advised to expect significant flight delays as aviation authorities carry out scheduled inspections of the airport’s critical landing guidance systems.

The inspections, conducted by the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA), will take place between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. local time on both days.

The checks focus on the airport’s precision approach and landing aids, including navigation and visual guidance systems that help aircraft maintain safe and accurate descent paths, particularly during adverse weather and low-visibility conditions.

To carry out the inspections, authorities are using a specialised calibration aircraft. The testing requires a temporary reduction in air traffic movements, leading to disruptions across the airport’s flight schedule.

Airlines estimate that both arriving and departing flights could face delays of between 45 and 60 minutes. The impact is expected to be felt across all services operating through Greece’s busiest airport, with some delays likely to carry over into later flights.

Similar inspections conducted on Tuesday caused delays throughout the day, affecting a number of scheduled services.

Aviation industry officials said the greatest disruption is expected during the afternoon peak period, when passenger volumes and aircraft movements at the airport are at their highest.