Brazil's National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) on Tuesday decided to suspend sales of all tickets to Sao Paulo's Congonhas airport that saw the nation's deadliest crash last week, ANAC announced on Tuesday.

 

"Sales will be suspended until airport movements can return to normal," ANAC president Milton Zuanazzi told reporters.

 

The agency will study ticket sales at other central Brazilian airports to prevent overbooking.

 

Congonhas's main runway was closed three times on Tuesday due to bad weather, causing 82 flights cancelled and 46 delayed by more than an hour.

 

Congonhas has seen the worst cancellations and delays in the nation, which is currently suffering air chaos. On Monday, more than 38 percent of Brazil's flights were delayed and around 20 percent cancelled.

 

Around 200 people died last week when an airbus belonging to the TAM air company failed to land properly on a wet runway at Congonhas, crashing into a fuel depot and exploding.

 

Also on Tuesday, Brazil's Foreign Minister Celso Amorim told a press conference that the measures taken by the Brazilian government to relieve Congonhas airport would not affect foreign airlines bound for Brazil.

 

"I do not think Brazil will lose foreign investment. There are a great many alternatives because the airport that is most affected is used as a hub for internal flights," he said.

 

Brazil will redirect flights from Congonhas to airports in Guarulhos, Campinas, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte and Brasilia.

 

"This could require adaptation, but Brazil is a great business and tourist destination. Air companies are going to continue earning money flying to Brazil," he said.

 

(Xinhua News Agency July 26, 2007)