Controller strike in Brazil reaches fourth consecutive day

The President and VP of the Brazilian Federation of Air Traffic Controllers were arrested yesterday, as the air traffic controller strike reached its fourth consecutive day with no signs of stopping, AP reported.

Both are being accused of speaking to the press without authorization, and each faces up to 20 days in jail if they are found guilty.

The air traffic controllers are striking because the lack of equipment constitutes a risk to security, and requires them to space arrivals even further. They also demand better working conditions and the demilitarization of the air traffic control in the country.

The lack of personnel and infrastructure to handle incoming aircraft has caused severe delays for 114 flights, 22.7% of the total influx of flights in the entire country, and 11% of the total had to be cancelled.

A similar strike last year was evidently unsuccessful at addressing the problem.

Authorities organize “hare hunt” in Milano Linate Airport

A group of over 200 volunteers spent all afternoon yesterday blowing whistles and flapping their arms wildly on the tarmac of Milan’s Linate Airport to trap hares that have proliferated on the airport’s ramp areas and constitute a risk to departing and arriving aircraft, AP reported yesterday.

Suspected terrorists sue Jeppesen for selling its products to the CIA

The Denver Business Journal reported that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit against Jeppesen last week on behalf of a group of suspected terrorists, claiming that the company helped the CIA by providing the charts and flight plans the agency used to transport them all over the world and torture them.

Aviation enthusiast dresses up as a pilot, travels for free as employee

A Chinese aviation enthusiast managed to bypass security and fly for free after he dressed up as a pilot and fooled several airline employees, including the pilots on his flight, into thinking that he was a real pilot.