Brazil Drafts Air Force Planes to Bring Order Back to Airports

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has ordered that the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) make 8 of its airplanes avalable to meet the demand of passengers who for the last three days have been delayed for hours waiting for their flight.

The Air Force planes to be put at the disposal of the private airlines are two 40-seat Boeings 737-300, known as Sucatinha (little scraps), which are the back-up planes for Brazil’s Air Force 1; two Boeings 707, called Sucatões (big scraps), which also belong to the presidency and are kept in Rio. Four Embraer’s EMB 145 with 45 seats each, which normally stay in Brasí­lia, will also be used in the operation.

Just hours before deciding to put the FAB planes at the airlines’ disposal Lula had said that the government would not be able to solve the problem of all passengers: "This is the only thing the Government can’t solve, because the Union doesn’t have an airline. is to meet the needs of all passengers. I only hope they don’t oversell tickets."
 
Curiously the idea to use Air Force planes to try to solve the current chaos in the airports came out from a request Thursday night by congressmen who asked to use the official planes so they wouldn’t be stuck in the airports with all the other passengers.

They ended up giving up the idea fearing a negative repercussion after their botched attempt to double their own salaries just last week.

The note released by FAB tonight says: "The Air Force’ Social Communication Center reports that, by determination of His Excellency President of the Republic and as way to relieve the difficulties now being experienced by the commercial civilian aviation customers, all Brazilian Air Force’s available means of air transportation were emergencially committed to operate in a complementary manner to the airlines ability to meet the season’s high demand. The incurred expenses will integrally be compensated by the airlines."

Tags:

You May Also Like

Lula and Presidential Candidate Rousseff Fined for Early Electioneering

Brazil’s minister of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), Felix Fischer, accepted the accusation of ...

In 20 Years, Death of Young Brazilians Grows from 30 to 55 per 100,000

The number of young people murdered in Brazil nearly doubled in a little over ...

Brazilian Justice Indicts Six Close Aides of Lula for Dossiergate

A Brazilian federal judge indicted six close aides of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula ...

U.S. Eyes Paraguay and Makes Brazil Unhappy

On June 1st, the Paraguayan Congress signed off on an agreement bringing over 400 ...

Exemplary Stories of Brazil’s Extractive Reserves

The creation of two extractive reserves in Pará, in the North of Brazil, did ...

Behind Brazil’s Nuclear Dream Is a Perceived Call to Be a Super Power

On July 10, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced his intention to ...

Lobini, Brazil’s Answer to Fancy Sports Car, on the Road to the US

Brazil has gone back to producing sports cars. Last weekend, Lobini Automóveis, car factory ...

Brazilian Bishop Accuses Lula of Being Afraid of Big Farmers

Brazilian Catholic Bishop Don Thomas BalduÀ­no, counselor to the Land Pastoral Commission (CPT), said, ...

Devon Starts Exploration of Brazilian Oil with 50 Billion Barrels Potential

US-based Devon Energy Corporation announced June 30 that it plans to proceed with development ...

Brazilian Rice Exports Grow, But Imports Are Twice as Big

In the first semester Brazil sold 232,000 tons of rice on the foreign market. ...