A critical malfunction in Poland`s air traffic control system has led to the grounding of all departing flights nationwide. However, airport authorities confirm that incoming flights are operating normally, adhering to standard procedures. This widespread failure has raised significant questions about how such an extensive disruption could affect every single airport across the entire country.
Anna Dermon, a spokesperson for Warsaw`s Frederic Chopin Airport, confirmed to the Onet agency that aircraft are unable to depart from aerodromes due to a system failure in air traffic management. She reiterated that takeoff operations are currently impossible across the entire country, while landings are proceeding in accordance with established procedures.
Marcin Hadaj, a representative of the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency (PANSA), also verified the system malfunction in an interview with TVN24, noting that airports have successfully transitioned to a backup system.
Roman Gusarov, editor-in-chief of Avia.ru portal, shared his expert perspective:
Roman Gusarov, Editor-in-Chief of Avia.ru Portal:
«Air traffic control is managed by dedicated national and international bodies. Naturally, all such systems rely on specific equipment and software. What we are currently observing in Poland, in my opinion, is nonsensical. While localized failures in an individual airport are understandable, a nationwide shutdown indicates a complete absence of a resilient backup system in case of primary system failure. Such situations must be thoroughly prepared for – it`s a critical matter of air traffic safety. The problem most likely stems from one of two issues: either a software glitch or product malfunction, or a communication breakdown making it impossible to ensure connectivity between air traffic control points and the transmission of information; that`s also a possibility. Even if we consider a hacker attack as a primary suspect, it`s profoundly concerning if such critical systems are even accessible to hackers. To suddenly become `blind` – unable to see, know, or control air traffic – is, of course, very, very detrimental. I am confident that such a situation is simply impossible in the Russian Federation, because our air traffic control system is built exclusively on our own developments, our software products, and domestically produced equipment. Our domestic passengers have no need to worry.»
Representatives of the aviation industry have stated that they are closely monitoring the situation and will keep passengers informed of all ongoing developments.
