Greek Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Nikos Tachiaos has dismissed allegations of a near tragedy on a domestic passenger flight from Heraklion to Athens, clarifying that the crew performed a standard aborted landing.
Tachiaos, who was traveling on board the SKY express flight with his family, said the maneuver was a routine safety measure prompted by air traffic control rather than an emergency or near collision.
The minister issued his detailed public statement following viral social media posts by Greek actor Iakovos Dimitriou, who described the August 16 journey as a flight of terror and alleged that a disaster had narrowly been averted.
Social media claims and flight details
Dimitriou claimed that passengers experienced severe panic during the flight, leading to widespread public concern after videos of the incident began circulating online.
Tachiaos explained that he was seated in position 14D on flight GQ213, which departed from Heraklion on the island of Crete on August 16, the day following the major Greek public holiday of the Panagia, or the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
He acknowledged that a video circulating online over the preceding two days implied a potential mid-air collision during the landing approach into Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos.
Heraklion Airport, formally known as Nikos Kazantzakis International Airport, serves as the primary aviation gateway for the island of Crete, carrying millions of domestic and international travelers each summer to Athens and European destinations.
Air traffic control instructions and separation
Tachiaos stated that the pilot initiated a go-around after receiving direct instructions from the airport control tower, executing a smooth turn to line up for a second approach.
Immediately after landing in Athens, Tachiaos contacted the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority to obtain an official briefing on what had occurred.
Civil aviation officials explained that an ATR turboprop aircraft flying directly ahead of their Airbus A320neo jet was traveling at a slower speed.
The speed difference reduced the required safety separation distance between the two aircraft, prompting controllers to order the SKY express pilot to abort the landing and re-enter the approach pattern.
Weather conditions and cabin communication
Tachiaos attributed the anxiety felt by passengers to heavy atmospheric turbulence and strong seasonal winds rather than any operational danger.
Strong northerly summer winds, known locally as meltemi winds, frequently sweep across the Aegean Sea and central Greece during August, creating bumpy flight conditions on approach into the Attic basin.
He noted that several passengers suffered from motion sickness and nausea as a result of the turbulent conditions, which he observed on a subsequent flight departing Athens under lighter wind conditions.
The minister conceded that communication from the flight crew during the maneuver was not as clear as it should have been, noting that he intended to raise the issue as a formal recommendation to airline operators.
Flight delays and passenger frustration
According to Tachiaos, the main source of passenger frustration on the day was an extended schedule delay rather than the go-around maneuver itself.
Flight GQ213 had already been delayed by more than an hour and a half before departure, as passengers waited for the incoming aircraft to arrive from Romania and for air traffic control to grant a revised takeoff slot.
SKY express is a major regional carrier in Greece, operating short-haul domestic flights across the mainland and islands using a fleet of modern jet and turboprop aircraft.
Aviation safety standards and official procedures
Tachiaos emphasized that a go-around is an internationally recognized safety protocol taught during standard pilot training and does not constitute an emergency or indicate an impending accident.
During a go-around, pilots apply full engine power, climb back to a safe altitude, and follow a designated flight path to line up for a second landing attempt.
He stressed that the event was not classified as an aviation incident that would trigger emergency alarms or initiate formal accident investigations, describing it as the safety management system working as intended.
Concluding his statement, Tachiaos praised Greek pilots and air traffic controllers for ensuring passenger safety daily, calling on the public to remain calm and evaluate aviation events based on facts rather than sensational impressions.
