“The CAA is constantly taking actions to strengthen staff in the Air Traffic Controllers,” said Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Christos Staikouras, answering a timely question by KKE MP Christos Katsotis in plenary.

The Minister said that in 2023 there were 35 hires and in 2024 another 29 recruitment of air traffic controllers, while with recent Law 5149/2024, a special recruitment process was provided through ASEP, in collaboration with international organizations, creating faster procedures and procedure to predict with faster procedures and procedure to predict with foresight procedures. It is pumped staff over a three -year depth. In the application of this legislation in 2024 a new notice, 2C/2024, for additional 97 air traffic auditors. The competition will take place in three stages, starting now, March 4 and is expected to be completed in June 2025. With these actions, the Minister said, we secure the uninterrupted recruitment of air traffic controllers, according to the resulting business needs by 2028. .

Mr Staikouras, he informed that by the end of March 2025, the initial training of those hired in 2024 and who will staff both Athens and Regional Airports would be completed. In addition, he said, 13 internal transfers were completed from other sectors of the CAA and 11 external transfers from various branches of the Greek State to meet the needs, while at the same time there is an annual plan to cover business airports with other staff travel. staffing, with the aim of ensuring the uninterrupted provision of the project for the operation of airports. The minister acknowledged that an immediate solution to the issue of recruitment of aerial auditors could not exist as he has recognized with public placements, but also in the House Committee by the President of the CAA himself, as this was allowed to be aggravated at a depth of 15 years.

Concerning the security equipment upgrades, Mr Staikouras submitted the minutes the press release of February 1, 2025, as released by the Civil Aviation Authority for each project.

Regarding the MP’s report on the lack of a operating system used for warning of engagement and that the auditor does not receive any notice from the system that aircraft are on a collision course, Mr Staikouras said that as soon as we “became communists on this subject. , as the auditors themselves confirm, we convened a meeting with the Ministry with the CAA and the APP. This system is operational and technically available in all phases of the flight since 1999. Since 1999 it is operational and technically available, but under existing established operational processes, it is not used in the Athens terminal and therefore not used by them. Air traffic controllers. The decision on non -operational exploitation is due to the production of false assembly from their installation in 1999 and these are the main reason that has not raised their use in the existing system. “

That is, as the Minister said, “there is a matter today, which we do not go over, despite being the same situation since 1999. , there is compliance with the CAA with the applicable Union legislation. This system is not required to certify, as the air navigation system installed and operates bears all the necessary fullness certificates in the manufacturer’s specifications for that particular operational use. “

Mr Staikouras assured that “on a technical level – we will let nothing go so – the most appropriate solutions to extend its use by the Air Traffic Auditors of the Athens approach are already being investigated by the CAA on the basis of the potential of the existing system installed. Air traffic management. If evaluated as technically feasible and operationally safe and operational, the CAA will take appropriate action for the broader operational exploitation of this tool by the Athens Air Traffic Auditors. And this will be an additional safety net, further enhancing the possibilities for safe air traffic management. Already in the announcement made by the auditors, the workers are referring to this meeting and in our intention to further enhance security. “

KKE MP Christos Katsotis, on his own side, referred to the shortages of air traffic controllers, the increase in the hourly flight limit at the airports required by the airlines, but also to the outdated, as he said, equipment where there are great deficiencies in the security systems. , according to their complaints. This situation said the Member can “lead to” air template “as organic positions in the air traffic controllers are 700 and fewer than 600 are covered, and in the coming years there will be a wave of retirement due to its large average age of age. staff.

In particular, he stated that there is an extreme shortage of staff at the Athens -Macedonia Region Control Center, since only 140 of the 220 posts were staffed to be covered so that all area control areas were open. Also, many regional airports operate with only one controller shifts, which can not even break a break, while working for 7 consecutive days without a day off. At the same time, he complained that while there are these serious problems, the CAA administration in recent years has increased the aircraft projected to arrive at El. Venizelos »within an hour, initially from 22 to 28 and then at 30, after pressure from airlines so as not to lose their profits. Chr. Katsotis also noted that the establishment of the Civil Aviation Authority abolished air authorities who controlled the air transport and they were replaced by private companies.

He stressed that there is no operating system on complaints used to warn of engagement and the working controller does not receive any notice from the system that aircraft are on a collision and commented that “flight safety is crashing on the costs of costs – benefits”