Conflicting details on runway closure presented to airlines
Airlines including Cathay Pacific were given conflicting information about the closure date of an airport runway by Taiwan officials days before last Tuesday's crash that killed 82 people in Taipei.
A map showing that the runway where the accident occurred would no longer be in service from 5 pm on November 1 GMT, or 1 am on November 2 local time, was distributed to Cathay Pacific pilots after October 27. The Singapore Airlines Boeing 747 crashed on take-off for Los Angeles during a typhoon on October 31 - 26 hours before the map was due to come into effect.
A spokeswoman for Cathay Pacific confirmed the map was issued by a publishing agent, Jeppesen, which bases its maps on information provided by the aeronautics authorities of different countries.
It is understood that Taiwan-based China Airlines also received a similar map from the Civil Aeronautics Administration in Taipei.
The spokeswoman for Cathay Pacific said the November 1 date on the map would not have caused any confusion because written instructions warning pilots of runway 05-Right's closure were issued before the tragedy. The notice was issued by Taipei in mid-September, she said.
But a Cathay Pacific pilot warned that such a map could bring confusion. He told the Post: 'It is always the responsibility of a pilot to make sure he is on a right runaway. He cannot completely rely on the control tower, which provides the pilots with the most current information but cannot always see the planes.'
The Cathay spokeswoman said: 'Our pilots knew the runway was closed . . . so it is irrelevant whether the new map became effective at the time.'
Singapore Airlines refused to comment, saying the investigation was still under way to find out why the jet had tried to take off on the wrong runway.
Taiwan's Air Traffic Service Division, under the Civil Aeronautics Administration, admitted it was responsible for updating and distributing the airport maps. 'We distribute the maps to all airlines that have flights to Taiwan. We did send a copy to the Singapore Airlines office in Taipei, but whether their pilots have it or not is really their internal affair,' a spokesman for the division said. He claimed the map was not the latest version and therefore might not be fully accurate.
'The map you showed to me is not the final version. We have made some changes after the release of this one and we've sent the airlines a copy of the latest change,' he said. However, the spokesman said he could not remember when the latest copy was sent out.
John Findlay of the Hong Kong Aircrew Officers' Association refused to comment on the issue, saying he did not want to add to speculation over the crash.
Graphic: RUN07GET
