Promulgation of the breadth of Greek national airspace

In compliance with international procedures, Greece published its legislation on national airspace without delay.

Indeed, on the basis of Greece’s obligations in accordance with Annex F on aeronautical maps of the 1919 Treaty of Paris on Air Traffic, Greece has submitted maps of its airspace, designation of air corridors, as well as the transit points on its northern and eastern borders to the CINA (International Air Navigation Committee). These maps show the outermost limits of Greek airspace as 10 nautical miles.

With the implementation of Annex 4 of the 1944 Chicago Treaty on Aeronautical Maps, the first ICAO aeronautical maps printed in 1949 were based on the CINA ones. In their second edition in 1955, new aeronautical maps were incorporated, which Greece then published. The outer limit of Greek national airspace was clearly designated as 10 nautical miles. It should be stressed that the corresponding Turkish aeronautical maps also included the outer limits of Greek airspace as 10 nautical miles.

During the Regional Air Navigation Meetings in Paris (1952) and Geneva (1958), where the Athens FIR limits were determined, those were based on the outer limits of Greece’s airspace. In the Minutes of the 1958 Regional Meeting, moreover, clear reference is made to the Greek aeronautical maps communicated to ICAO in 1955 and which show the limits of Greek airspace at 10 nautical miles.  Turkey participated in these Regional Meetings without raising any objections to the 10 nautical miles set for Greek national airspace. The map of the European Air Navigation Plan was also approved at these Meetings.

The official notification of the 10 nautical mile limit, as stipulated in the Presidential Decree of 1931, was included in the Aeronautical Information Handbook published in accordance with Annex 15 of the Chicago Convention by the competent Civil Aviation Authorities (AIP Greece, vol. I, RAC 0-1.2.1).