Airspace In Panama Is Inefficient And If Nothing Is Done It Will Collapse

11/20/2024 11:16:26 PM

(MENAFN- Newsroom Panama) The airspace at Tocumen International Airport could collapse in about 18 months if nothing is done, so a phased plan has been initiated to modernize and optimize the circulation of aircraft on the ground, reported on Wednesday.
According to the report, the general director of the Civil Aeronautics Authority (AAC), Rafael Bárcenas, explained that Panama's airspace has seen a dramatic increase due to the operations of Copa Airlines; however, this expansion has not been as fast as the Tocumen International Airport (AITSA), which has been left behind, a situation that he described as“an inefficient but still manageable airspace.”
Bárcenas is concerned about the timeframe, as they must purchase software valued at around $500,000 or $600,000 to create a series of procedures, which are currently done manually and which must be certified.
“Right now we are at a point of considerable inefficiency, but it is still manageable, although it will reach a point where it will collapse if we do nothing in 18 months,” said Bárcenas.
The official insisted, according to the report, that if we do nothing 18 months, they could call him to tell him that a plane cannot come to Tocumen today, because another one on the ground is in front of another one, since there is no guide as to where to turn.
The 18 months is the time Boeing must deliver to Copa Airlines the new planes they have contracted. This is the time that Bárcenas estimates they have to resolve the problem, since after those months Tocumen will have nowhere to park.
José Ruiz Blanco, general manager of AITSA, agreed on the need to expand the air terminal. He indicated that they are working hand in hand with Copa Airlines and AAC to determine what steps to take in terms of expansion and what the best option is.

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