Honduras airport remains closed due to low visibility - day seven

Airline Industry Information, April 27, 2005

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2005 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

The Toncontin International Airport in Tegucigalpa, Honduras was closed for the seventh consecutive day yesterday (26 April).

Visibility at the airport was reportedly below the minimum requirement of three kilometres. The problem is caused by hundreds of forest, brush and farmland fires, according to The Associated Press. The fires have apparently created a layer of smoke over much of Honduras.

Travellers seeking to leave have crowded at the airport and many travellers have reportedly had to take buses to San Pedro Sula in the north or to El Salvador and Nicaragua. The National Meteorological Service has said that this situation is expected to continue as the visibility is limited to one kilometre. Another three of the Honduras airports, in San Pedro Sula, La Ceiba and on the island of Roatan, were closed yesterday morning. These airports were however able to open later in the day, as sea breezes managed to clear some of the smoke.

The smoke is reportedly a problem every year in April when farmers burn their fields to prepare for the planting season, and the fire often spreads and causes forest fires. Oscar Triminio, a spokesman for the country's fire department, said that the smoke is caused by more than 450 forest fires, which have destroyed 5,500 hectares of pine forests in national territory and 300 of those fires were reportedly near Tegucigalpa. In May 1998 smoke apparently shut down the four major airports for a total of 28 days.

There are added problems with the airport, as it has a short runway and is surrounded by hills that make it one of the most dangerous airports in the world. It also lacks modern navigation equipment, demanding higher visibility to remain open and, as it has no landing lights, aircraft cannot land after dark.

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