Civil Aviation Department Activates Contingency Plan

Andre Perez

Even as the employees, including air traffic control crew, abandoned their posts today in protest, they notified regional partners of the situation. However, it is up to the Civil Aviation Department and the ministry to officially call a lockdown of the airport. And they were not having it. According to Minister Andre Perez and Civil Aviation Director Nigel Carter, a contingency plan was established from the notice of industrial action by the unions.

Andre Perez, Minister of Civil Aviation

“There was an attempt to interrupt air traffic services at the P.G.I.A.  It is my understanding that some of the air controllers informed the director of their intended walkout providing enough time for our team at the Department of Civil Aviation to activate our contingency plan. I can report that services were not interrupted and flights continued to arrive and depart as scheduled. Our responsibility as a Civil Aviation Department is to ensure that safe and optimum air traffic services are being provided at the Philip Goldson International Airport.”

Nigel Carter

Nigel Carter, Director, Civil Aviation Department

“What we must commend is the manner in which the air traffic controllers handled the situation. The staff, even though they proceeded on strike, sufficient staff remained in place to ensure that all aircrafts that were inside of Belize’s airspace either landed safely or exited Belizean airspace; therefore there was no disruption in services in that regard.”

According to Carter, the Central American Region Control Center ensured that all en route air traffic control services were provided.