Greece's HCAA Says Flight Delays Lower Than Eurocontrol Figures Suggest

Greece’s HCAA said average delays at Athens International Airport fell in June, responding to reports that cited Eurocontrol data showing increased air traffic management delays across Greece. The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority noted that Eurocontrol reported a 63% year-on-year increase in ATFM delays, but said the figures should not be interpreted as average passenger delay because they reflect different types of delay. HCAA reported that air-traffic-related delay at Athens averaged 4.43 minutes per flight in June, down from 6.50 minutes in the same month last year, and that overall airport air-traffic delays declined by 31.77%. It attributed the broader Eurocontrol pressures to peak summer demand and route changes linked to geopolitical developments in the Middle East that increased traffic through Greek airspace. Greece’s Transport Ministry Secretary General Stelios Sakaretsios echoed that Eurocontrol indicators do not necessarily match passenger experience. HCAA, Athens Airport, AEGEAN, SKY express and others agreed on steps for summer coordination, including stricter slot adherence, avoiding schedule overloads, and improved cooperation between air traffic management and ground handling.