Air traffic to and from Greece will grind to a halt on Sunday as Greek Air Traffic Controllers have called a nationwide 24-hour strike.

The strikers are protesting what they called the "unjustified silence and inertia" of the Infrastructure, Transports and Networks ministry to their repeated reports on the necessity of differentiating air traffic from the narrow margins of the public sector, an announcement said.

Controllers say they have repeatedly presented, with well-grounded arguments, their views to the ministry in order that the planned reorganisation of air transports will achieve their modernisation and boost competitiveness and productivity, "but the tendency in the ministry is to not upset the outdated balances that have been prevailing in the field for many years".

"For these reasons, and in order to awaken any possible innovative ideas in the ministry that are lying dormant, we are announcing a 24-hour strike for Sunday, October 17, and ask for understanding from the passengers and airlines for their inconvenience," the announcement concluded.