Saturation makes Mexico City airport extremely unsafe, says deputy

The International Airport of Mexico City is so saturated that airplanes cross at such a short distance without delays in takeoffs and landings that there is a risk of air collision, warned Jesus Ramirez Stabros, pilot and member of the Chamber of Deputies Transportation Commission.

Among the remainder of the country’s airports, some still are operating a safety levels from 50 years ago, said Ramirez, who called for a review of the operations of all the private airport groups, reports La Jornada.
The National Union of Air Traffic Controllers (Sinacta) confirmed Ramirez’ comments, adding that Mexico City’s airport experiences sudden radar blackouts radar, flaws in its Eurocat system, constant false alarms, and incorrect altitude reports on aircraft.
Clavel Lizette Sanchez, secretary general of the Association of Aviation Surcharges of Mexico (ASSA), defended the country’s airports, saying they are not so bad when compared to some of those in Central America, Africa or Asia.
The spokesman for the Association of Airline Pilots Association (ASPA), Leonardo Sanchez, said that all Mexican airports are certified by the UN International Civil Aviation Organization as meeting all their safety requirements. However, he said, the certification does not consider whether airports are too congested.
Instead of the urgency in cleaning of bathrooms, making waiting rooms confortable and fast luggage service as called for by the Secretariat of Tourism (Sectur), the country needs to address its outdated airport infrastructure, reports La Jornada.
The full story, in Spanish, is at: http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2009/04/05/index.php?section=economia&article...