Brazil back on course after six days of aviation chaos

Last week it was widely reported that Brazil was having some extreme problems with its air traffic. Scenes of crammed terminals and frustrated passengers were seen all over the news. The cause was deferred to the Air Force who runs the air traffic control systems and they in turn blamed employees for refusing to operate perfectly operational equipment.

Now, after six days of frustration and chaos in the largest country in South America, things are finally getting back to normal. Yesterday, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva declared the situation was over; “There are no more delays due to air control problems,” he said, but not after firing 14 air traffic controllers and arresting two of their ringleaders.

Travel between major cities like Sao Paulo and Rio De Janeiro was dramatically interrupted, and the President took measures to fix the problem. “In view of this fact of insubordination, I determine that the air force command put the house in order, do whatever needs to be done. But we have to keep the airports functioning well, maintain military discipline,” Lula said later.

As far as the question of faulty equipment, Lula maintained that Brazil’s air traffic control equipment was among the most modern in the world.