Greece ranks third in Europe for flight delays
Greece ranks third in Europe for en-route flight delays, accounting for around 12% of the total, despite an overall improvement in the performance of the European aviation network.
According to Eurocontrol’s weekly summer briefing covering August 10-16, European air traffic remained at historically high levels, with more than 36,000 flights handled per day on average. Traffic was around 3% higher than during the same period in 2025.
On-time performance improves
Despite the heavy traffic, 74% of flights reached their destinations on schedule, marking an improvement both from the previous week and from the same period last year.
Air traffic flow management delays fell to just over three minutes per flight, down 10% from the previous week.
Nevertheless, around one in five flights was affected by some form of flow restriction.
Eurocontrol said capacity-management measures, together with weather conditions, helped contain delays. The agency warned, however, that pressure on the network is expected to remain high, with daily traffic potentially reaching 37,500 flights on the busiest Fridays in August.
Athens emerges as a key pressure point
France remains first in Europe for total delays, accounting for roughly one third of all delays since the beginning of 2026. Spain follows with approximately one sixth.
Greece ranks third, with about 12% of Europe’s en-route delays. The Athens air traffic control centre alone accounts for around 8% of the total European burden.
The figures highlight the pressure placed on Greek airspace during the peak summer travel period.
Up to 3,000 flights a day in Greece
Air traffic in Greece has followed a strong seasonal pattern in 2026, with overall levels remaining broadly in line with 2025.
Daily traffic stood at around 600-900 flights in January and February before rising to 1,200-1,700 flights during the spring. With the start of the tourist season, traffic increased to 2,000-2,500 flights per day in May and June.
The peak came in July and August, when daily traffic reached between 2,600 and 3,000 flights. A modest decline was recorded by mid-August, but traffic remained broadly unchanged compared with 2025.
Aegean records weaker punctuality
Among the airlines included in the Eurocontrol assessment, Aegean recorded 63% on-time arrivals, with an average delay of 4.11 minutes per flight.
Athens airport was identified as the main source of delays affecting the airline. It was followed by the Macedonia air traffic control centre, accounting for around 18%, and the Athens control centre, with approximately 11%.
SAS Group topped the airline ranking, recording 89% on-time arrivals and an average delay of just over one minute per flight.
Pressure expected to continue
The European aviation network is managing record levels of traffic more effectively, with air traffic flow management delays down around 19% year on year.
For Greece, however, the national airspace system, particularly the Athens area, remains a major pressure point.
With the summer peak still underway, the capacity of Greek air traffic control services and their ability to manage continued high demand will be critical to keeping flights moving smoothly through the remainder of the season.
Source:ERT
