2025 Agenda

ATHENIAN (“ATHENs termInal Area redesign & pbN”) is a project set to redesign the Athens Terminal Manoeuvering Area (TMA) and implement satellite Performance Based Navigation (PBN) procedures for aircraft arrivals and departures at Athens International Airport.

The project is co-funded by the European Union under the Connecting Europe Facility – Transport Sector and specifically SESAR framework. The project is implemented by a collaborating group of expert partners comprising of the Hellenic Aviation Service Provider (HASP), AEGEAN, SKY Express, and EUROCONTROL, coordinated by Athens International Airport S.A. (AIA).

The aim is to establish a fully PBN-based airspace concept to align with EU regulation 2018/1048, and the European Air Traffic Management (ATM) Master Plan. The new concept of satellite-based navigation will enhance the airport operations and will reduce reliance on ground-based navigational aids, with clear benefits in:

• flight efficiency,
• aircraft noise and CO₂ emissions,
• cost-efficiency, and
• passenger experience

The ATHENIAN project was launched in January 2023 and is planned for completion by the end of 2027 in a phased manner.

The first phase was completed in January 2024, and includes:

• a full topographical obstacle survey within the boundaries of Athens TMA geographical area,
• the development of 78 “Overlay PBN” arrival and departure procedures in the existing TMA setup.

The second phase began in April 2024, for the comprehensive redesign of the Athens TMA alongside a new set of PBN procedures.
A major milestone was reached in February 2025 with the delivery of the Concept of Operations (ConOps) for the new redesigned TMA. The ATHENIAN project is actively engaging experts of many more industry key contributors such as:

• The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA),
• The Hellenic Air Force (HAF),
• The IATA, AOC (Airline Operators Committee) at Athens Intl. Airport and RYANAIR,
• The General Aviation Users representatives, and
• The Local Communities.

The objective is to ensure and accelerate the PBN implementation in Athens, under the frame of a greater airspace re-design, benefiting from the operational improvements derived from new airspace concepts, in terms of flight efficiency, reduced environment impact and sustainable operations.

Key success factor for the project is the collaborative spirit cultivated between the ATHENIAN project partners and all involved stakeholders, through their active engagement.