Brazil - ANAC to force Webjet to reduce frequencies

The following article is from O Globo. When Webjet had almost 65% of flights late without adequate explanations ANAC decided to take action and is forcing a major reduction in schedule.

Anac vai reduzir número de voos da Webjet
Geralda Doca
Publicado em 14/01/2011 23:52
BRASÍLIA - A Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (Anac) deverá anunciar nas próximas semanas a redução da malha da Webjet, tanto do número de frequências (saídas autorizadas) quanto de cidades atendidas. A avaliação do órgão regulador, que está estudando detalhadamente a situação da companhia, é que a Webjet enfrenta problemas operacionais e não dispõe de tripulação suficiente para cumprir os voos autorizados atualmente. A empresa é a quarta companhia do mercado doméstico e teve um aumento do tráfego de passageiros de 64,1% no ano passado. Mas tem registrado índices de atraso muito superiores à média do setor.

Saiba mais: Os principais direitos dos passageiros
Segundo dados da Infraero, até às 20h desta sexta-feira, a Webjet registrava índice de atraso de 64,8%. Dos 122 voos programados, 79 atrasaram e dois foram cancelados. A média do setor no período era de 22,2%.

Recentemente, o ministro da Defesa, Nelson Jobim, determinou à Anac que estudasse uma redução da malha da TAM, cujos índices de atraso e cancelamentos durante as festas de fim de ano superaram a média.

Empresa diz que problemas devem-se ao mau tempo
Porém, segundo fontes, a TAM, maior companhia nacional, não deverá ser punida, pois os problemas foram ocasionados por imprevistos, como fechamento de aeroportos devido a mau tempo e manutenção não programada, além do aumento do fluxo de passageiros no período.

Leia também: Passageiros voltam a enfrentar atrasos nos aeroportos
A situação é diferente com a Webjet. Com malha apertada, frota e quadro de pessoal reduzidos, os problemas acabam se agravando, diante das más condições climáticas. A empresa, segundo a assessoria de imprensa, tem uma frota de 23 aviões e atende a 14 cidades. Em nota, a assessoria atribuiu os atrasos das últimas semanas ao mau tempo:

"A Webjet informa que devido a restrições meteorológicas que atingem as regiões Sul e Sudeste, com fechamento dos aeroportos de Ribeirão Preto/SP, Curitiba/PR e Confins/BH, e também excesso de tráfego aéreo provocado pelas condições climáticas adversas, precisou remanejar sua malha, gerando atrasos em seus voos".

O texto afirma ainda que a companhia mantém equipes nos aeroportos para prestar informação adequada e assistência aos passageiros prejudicados.

I saw something in the news last week about them looking into TAM for essentially the same reason. Haven't heard of any action coming from it concerning TAM. My Sat flight on JJ left about 39 minutes late and arrived 23 minutes late. (But is scheduled for an hour and is actually only 46 minutes in flight.)

I am happy younmademit back without incident. In the same article ANAC gave TAM a free ride because their delays were justified. Still, both TAM and GOL have been warned in the past so the quest of ANAC for better on time performance is far from over IMO.

With the boom in commercial aviation in Brasil, from where are they getting all their (hopefully) experienced pilots?

You're assuming they're experienced?

Many Brazilian airports are woefully outdated and over-capacity. The government realizes this and has announced it's going to start massive works to expand and remodel the airports in time for the 2014 World Cup. Chances of that happening in time? I'd rate the chances as between slim and none. And the tourists will come, anyway.

Not assuming,hoping

The same question might be asked of a few rapidly growing airlines. Globally experienced pilots are retiring in large numbers as people from the baby boom years are passing 60 years of age. Luckily flying the new generation aircraft is more like a video game than thenold days of 'stick and rudder'. As an old flight instructor and pilot myself I share your concerns. Luckily the record so far does not suggest problems with all these young pilots. There will be an outcry about my last sentence if many of the old guard are reading this thread.

I saw something in the news last week about them looking into TAM for essentially the same reason. Haven't heard of any action coming from it concerning TAM. My Sat flight on JJ left about 39 minutes late and arrived 23 minutes late. (But is scheduled for an hour and is actually only 46 minutes in flight.)

I believe TAM's suspension was very brief. They are selling tickets now. Some might say that TAM's economic and political muscle could mitigate any suspension, but I would not be so cynical. Not sure about Webjet's situation overall. I havn't flown them and don't know anyone who has, but their presence in Fortaleza is fairly small.

The big difference seems to have been that Webjet had neither weather nor air traffic control explanations to mitigate their problems. TAM did have 40% late flights in mid December and ANAC was threatening them, but IMO both TAM and GOL are too vulnerable to weaknesses in the total air system for ANAC to play too hard on them.

I am also less cynical about this issue than many people are, msotly because the rapid improvement of Brazil air travel in all respects is so crucial to the country. i realize one can make both sides of that argument.