Singapore denies air discrimination

Singapore denies air discrimination

SINGAPORE (Reuter): Singapore Air Traffic Control (ATC) does
not discriminate against any aircraft or airport, the Civil
Aviation Authority said yesterday.

Its statement followed a report by Indonesia's Antara news
agency on Thursday that Indonesia was taking over air traffic
control around its Batam island from nearby Singapore after
complaints about delays caused by Singapore control.

The Singapore statement said its ATC "states categorically
that it provides service to about 70 airlines flying in the
region strictly on a first-come, first-served basis, without
discrimination against any aircraft or any airport."

Antara quoted Indonesian Air Carriers Association chairman
Soelarto Hardisoemarto as saying: "Our planes are often forced to
fly around for some time before landing at Batam airport just
because a plane is about to land at or take off from Singapore's
Changi airport."

Singapore's flight authority was "unduly extending beyond the
borders of its own airspace", he said.

In his response, Singapore's Civil Aviation Authority
spokesman said: "The Singapore ATC wants to put on record that
flights to and from Changi are not accorded any special priority
or privileges over aircraft operating to/from other airports."