Greek airports unprepared for increased traffic volume

ALEXANDRA KASSIMI

Pressured by the explosive growth of passenger numbers generated by Greece’s expanding tourism market, officials are calling for additional air traffic controllers to ensure safe travel.

In 2014, the Greece’s Civil Aviation Authority (YPA) was asked to hire an additional 70 air traffic controllers. YPA eventually announced 32 positions that were filled over the next three years. Training began in January and they assumed duty five months later. Unions say workers have to transfer between airports depending on traffic levels.

Meanwhile, though, passenger traffic in Greece has increased by 45 percent over the past four years airport. Air traffic volume in the first weekend of May was at the same level as it was in mid-August 2017 (about 3,500 flights per day) – which is traditionally the peak of the Greek holiday season.

In May, Greece’s busiest airports were those of Athens, Iraklio, Rhodes, Thessaloniki and Hania.