British holidaymakers face travel chaos as Greek air traffic controllers prepare for a 24-hour strike on April 9, 2025.
The nationwide walkout, organised by public sector union ADEDY, will ground all flights just 11 days before Easter.
Adding to the long-term travel "nightmare" faced by Britons, easyJet flight attendants are preparing to strike on the same day.
Experts at AirAdvisor spoke to GB News about the potential impact of the strikes on British holidaymakers.
AirAdvisor warned that the strike could spell chaos for 11,200 to 12,800 Britons heading to Greece
GETTY IMAGESThey warned that the industrial action will cancel between 70 and 80 UK flights, affecting 11,200 to 12,800 British travellers.
easyJet passengers are set to be hit hardest, with more than 20 flights affected, followed by British Airways and Ryanair with more than 15 flights each. TUI Airways will see more than 10 flights disrupted.
Key routes affected include flights from London Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Manchester, Edinburgh and Birmingham. These connect to popular Greek destinations such as Athens, Heraklion, Thessaloniki, Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes and Corfu.
The strike will also disrupt UK passengers flying to the Middle East, Asia and Australia, as Greece is a major transit hub.
Britons were warned that the strike is expected to trigger significant price increases for last-minute transport and hotel bookings. Indeed, ATC strikes on February 28, 2025, increased ferry bookings by 50 to 70 per cent and hotel rates by 30 to 50 per cent within 48 hours.
With Easter fast approaching, holidaymakers could face a "peak season premium", meaning prices could double.
However, stranded travellers can consider alternative routes, such as flying from London to Sofia (£50-£80) and then taking a bus to Thessaloniki (£20-£30).
Island-bound tourists could fly to Istanbul (£80-£120) before catching ferries to Piraeus (£50-£70) and onward to destinations like Santorini (£30-£60). These alternatives could cost £70-£110, compared to £200-£300 for rebooking cancelled flights.
Aviation expert and Founder of AirAdvisor Anton Radchenko shared his insights on the upcoming strike.
He stated: "Since 2023, two to three ATC strikes have affected Greece every year. This shows that its airspace is a ticking time bomb, especially for island hoppers.
"Keep in mind that not every strike action is created equal. Air traffic control strikes are uniquely disruptive because ATC is the backbone of aviation operations - without it, flights cannot take off, land or safely navigate airspace.
"Since Easter is just around the corner, Greece's island-heavy travel makes this strike a nightmare. With flights grounded, there will be increased congestion on ferries, substantially raising their prices close to the [holiday]. So, the right time to book is now, or it will be too late.
"Plus, with holiday travel in full swing, this strike will cause widespread ripple effects as delays stack up, missed connections rise, and crew scheduling issues persist.
"And it’s not just limited to that. Remember, Greece is a highly popular holiday destination, so with its airspace affected, other ATC centers (in Italy or Turkey) will get flooded with extra traffic. This increased pressure on controllers in nearby countries risks potentially slowing down the entire European flight network."
To mitigate the effects of the impending disruption, Anton advised passengers to take "immediate action".
"Keep an eye on your flight status and sign up for SMS or email alerts for the quickest updates," he advised. "If your flight gets cancelled, act fast, as rebookings will fill quickly.
"Also, pack essentials such as snacks and water, and keep extra cash. Given the strike’s proximity to Easter, tourist areas will be crowded, and delays will extend waiting times, so it makes sense to be prepared."
As for financial compensation, it's important to note that passengers will not be entitled to any as these strikes fall under "extraordinary circumstances", which are outside the airline's control. However, under EU/261 regulation, affected holidaymakers are entitled to free meals, accommodation, and transit to and from their hotel and airport. Anton concluded: "Make sure you're proactive in getting that."
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Britons travelling to destinations such as Santorini, Mykonos, Athens and more will be affected
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Offering advice to affected flyers, easyJet told GB News: "Due to 24-hour Greek national industrial action including air traffic controllers, some flights to and from Greece tomorrow will no longer be able to operate.
"While this is outside of our control, we are sorry for the inconvenience caused and are doing all we can to minimise the impact of the strike action.
"We are notifying customers whose flights are impacted with options to transfer to another flight for free or receive a refund, to help them rearrange their plans before they travel. easyJet holidays customers are also being contacted with information on options for their trip."
Customers travelling to or from Greece were advised to check the status of their flights on easyJet's Flight Tracker for the most up-to-date information.
Ryanair issued a similar statement: "Due to a Greek ATC strike, we have been forced to cancel or make schedule changes to a small number of flights to/from Greece on Tuesday, April 8 and Wednesday, April 9. Passengers affected by these cancellations/schedule changes will be notified of their options via email.
"We ask all passengers due to travel to/from Greece on Tuesday, April 8 or Wednesday, April 9 to keep an eye on the Ryanair app for the latest updates. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused by this strike, which is outside of our control and affects all airlines operating to/from Greece."
GB News has contacted British Airways and TUI Airways for comment
