New Crisis Team in Wake of Athens FIR ‘Blackout’

The government on Thursday announced the creation of a new crisis management team consisting of specialized staff from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and main telephony utility OTE, all in the wake of a Jan. 4 half-day “blackout” of systems operating and managing the Athens FIR.

The unit’s task is to implement recommendations of an experts’ committee regarding the incident. The aim is to strengthen supervision and respond more quickly to technical issues affecting Greece’s air navigation systems.

During a meeting at the transport ministry on Thursday, representatives from CAA and OTE also discussed cooperation regarding the upcoming installation of new transceivers with voice recording systems, which are being supplied by the former.

The specific contract, signed in October 2025, provides for the supply of VHF transceivers with VoIP technology, equipment aimed fulfill the need for increased telemetry at telecommunications stations. The first deliveries are expected next month, as the supplier has been asked to deliver the available systems in stages.

Source: tovima.com