Israeli media are warning of unprecedented congestion in the airspace over Cyprus and Greece, with significant delays affecting flights to and from Israel.
In a report titled Traffic Jam in the Sky, Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom urged travellers heading to Cyprus or Greece in the coming days to expect disruptions, saying the Eastern Mediterranean's air corridors are operating close to capacity.
According to Eurocontrol figures cited by the newspaper, European airspace has recorded near-record activity in recent days, with around 37,000 flights per day.
The report attributes the growing pressure not only to peak summer travel demand but also to the rerouting of flights due to the security situation in parts of the Eastern Mediterranean, increasing traffic over Cyprus and Greece.
Delays across the region
The impact was reportedly felt on Tuesday, when Israeli passengers were left waiting for hours for an aircraft that had yet to depart from Greece.
The newspaper said flight information boards at Greek and Cypriot airports continued to show widespread delays throughout the day.
Israel Hayom described Greece as one of Europe's main aviation bottlenecks, citing capacity constraints and staffing shortages at the air traffic control centres in Athens and Thessaloniki, compounded by the seasonal surge in passenger traffic.
Even when aircraft are ready for departure, airlines may face delays while awaiting airspace clearance or available take-off and landing slots, the report said.
Airports affected
According to the report, airports including:
- Larnaca
- Paphos
- Rhodes
- Crete
- Corfu
- Kos
- Santorini
- Mykonos
are particularly vulnerable to knock-on disruptions, where relatively minor delays can trigger broader scheduling problems throughout the day.
The newspaper noted that the effects also extend to Ben Gurion Airport, as delayed arrivals from Cyprus and Greece can in turn affect the departure schedules of subsequent flights serving the region.
Source: CNA
