Man Arrested for Impersonating ATC at Buenos Aires Airport
On Monday, Nov. 11, a man was arrested for impersonating Air Traffic Control at Buenos Aires Jorge Newbery Airport (AEP) and sending false messages to a pilot.
The pilot, who was set to fly Aerolíneas Argentinas flight AR-1694, noticed something was off when he was issued a permit for take-off toward Bariloche on runway 13 from the wrong vector data. He was able to inform the real air traffic controller, who then contacted the police. The impersonator, a 60-year-old who had previously acquired an amateur radio license as a private pilot, was caught red-handed nearby the airport. The incident caused an airport-wide delay of 30 minutes, and the perpetrator now faces up to eight years in prison.
Argentine Air Navigation Company, EANA, have since claimed to have "tightened up" security measures at the airport. For the time being, police intend to keep how the impersonator was able to interfere with airport radio frequencies under wraps due to the proximity of the 2018 G20 Summit. However, according to TPG editor-at-large Zachary Honig, interfering with ATC and pilot communication via radio is easier than you would think. "Pilots are able to transmit on the same frequencies as Air Traffic Control, since the two need to communicate. And you don't need to be on a plane to broadcast — brand-new handheld radios are widely available for a couple hundred bucks," Honig says. "Even planes from the 50s have compatible radios, so the necessary equipment is easier to come by than you might expect."
To learn more about how ATC handles emergencies, click here.
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.