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."