ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Officials say a breakdown in the communications system linking Greek airports prevented flights from taking off for 2 1/2 hours.
They say takeoffs were stopped at all airports at 8:30 a.m. (0530 GMT; 1:30 a.m. EDT) Sunday. Athens International Airport says that flights resumed around 11 a.m. (0800 GMT).
The cause of the breakdown is unknown. The head of the civil aviation employees’ union told a radio station that the system was last upgraded 17 years ago.
