Aegean Airlines’ Deputy CEO Michalis Kouveliotis has just written to Miles+Bonus members with news no frequent flyer wants to read: Athens International Airport has slashed its arrival capacity by 25%. The cut, imposed by air traffic control from 25 September, has already caused “considerable flight delays” for arriving and departing Aegean flights, and with Athens Airport as their main hub, the airline admits disruption is cascading throughout its network.
The email, though, raises more questions than it answers. Passengers are told of the issue, assured the airline is “taking all actions possible”, and then left in limbo. No guidance on whether to expect changes to their own flights. No links to rebooking tools. Not even a reminder to check flight status before heading to the airport. For a carrier that has consistently branded itself as Europe’s boutique alternative, this is customer communication that misses the mark.
What’s really happening in Athens?
Behind the polite phrasing lies a bitter dispute. Air traffic controllers have quietly reduced the number of arrivals allowed at Athens from around 31 an hour to as low as 23. Departures have been trimmed too. Officially, this is framed as “capacity management”. In reality, it looks a lot like industrial action by another name.
Controllers are fighting government plans to restructure the Civil Aviation Authority. At stake: whether Greece creates an autonomous navigation agency, and how fees and bonuses are distributed. The government insists reform is overdue; unions claim their pay and conditions are misrepresented. In the meantime, airline passengers are the collateral damage.
Why Aegean is hit hardest
Athens isn’t just a hub for Aegean, it is the hub. The airline runs a tightly wound rotation of aircraft in and out of the capital, feeding domestic hops, regional flights, and long-haul connections. A half-hour delay in the morning doesn’t stay a half-hour delay – it snowballs into two or three hours by evening.
Business class passengers will be able to while-out the delay in one of Aegean’s nice lounges, but economy passengers will be left loitering in Athens Airport’s congested departure halls.
Industry trackers say around 20% of Athens flights have already been running late. The ripple effects are brutal: missed connections, stressed crews, aircraft in the wrong place at the wrong time. For an airline that relies on precision, even a modest ATC squeeze becomes an operational nightmare.
Passengers left guessing
The email from Aegean acknowledges the disruption but offers no practical help. Should travellers book earlier flights? Will EU261 compensation apply? Can they reroute through Thessaloniki? Silence.
It’s especially jarring when compared with how other European airlines handle disruption. Lufthansa and Air France typically publish FAQs, give rebooking options online, and push proactive notifications through their apps. Aegean’s response feels inward-looking – as if the message was written for regulators, not for paying customers.
A warning for Greek aviation
The timing could hardly be worse. Greece’s tourism sector depends on seamless air connectivity, and Aegean has been one of the country’s most consistent success stories in recent years. If its operations at Athens remain hobbled for weeks, the reputational hit could be significant. International travellers have options – and once confidence is dented, it’s hard to win back.
What this really highlights is the fragility of aviation governance in Greece. A single dispute within ATC has exposed a lack of resilience at the country’s primary airport. The government, airlines, and controllers all share some responsibility here – but it’s passengers and the tourism industry who are footing the bill.
Blame isn’t a solution
Aegean is right to point the finger at Athens Airport air traffic control for the delays, but wrong to leave passengers in the dark. Kouveliotis’ email acknowledges a serious crisis without offering a plan, and that risks damaging trust as much as the delays themselves. For now, travellers booked through Athens should brace for knock-on delays and monitor their flights obsessively. The bigger question is whether Greece can resolve its ATC disputes quickly – or whether Aegean is about to endure a long winter of discontent at its hub.
As for me, I’m glad to have been alerted to possible disruption to my upcoming flight, but it would appear the onus is now on me to determine whether or not I should be traveling through Athens. I expect more than this from a European airline.
BG1 tip
If you’re flying with Aegean in the coming weeks, here’s how to limit the pain:
- Book the earliest departure you can – morning flights tend to leave with shorter delays before the backlog builds.
- Avoid tight connections in Athens – give yourself extra hours, or better yet, plan an overnight stop if travelling long-haul.
- Check your flight status often – use the Aegean app or FlightRadar24, not just airport screens.
- Know your rights – EU261 compensation applies for delays and cancellations outside “extraordinary circumstances”. Labour disputes can be a grey area, but don’t assume you’re not entitled.
- Have a Plan B – if you must be somewhere on time, consider alternative routings through another European hub.
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