Air Traffic Control: Holding Patterns over Barcelona

On December 23, 2012, "Spain was under the influence of a large high pressure system. The day in Barcelona had thus been clear, the high humidity however created increasing fog in the evening requiring low visibility procedures invoked at Barcelona Airport leaving only runway 25R available for approaches. As result more and more aircraft needed to be sent into holds around Barcelona, the approach frequency became more and more busy until there were transmissions nearly without any interruptions around 20:15L (19:15Z). The approach controller at that time was advising aircraft checking in on frequency, that their approach times would be around about 19:50Z, centers around Barcelona TMA showed a 40 minutes holding time for all aircraft inbound Barcelona. The scenario became increasingly critical, a number of crews holding around Barcelona were considering their options and inquired about their estimated approach times. Initially the controller was still able to provide such estimates. During those exchanges the controller announced, that only Girona was in the clear and available as alternate aerodrome, all other aerodromes were under restrictions due to weather too. The controller ended most of his transmissions with "Break! Break!" in order the issue the next instruction to some other aircraft. By about 19:15Z the controller acknowledged nearly all requests for estimated approach times with "I'll call you, break! break!" It was obvious that despite the obvious overload on approach frequency with aircraft still handed off to approach by surrounding centers there were no suitable steps taken by supervisors to assist the controller or reduce his workload thus permitting his workload grow beyond capacity, so that fuel emergencies became inevitable. The situation worsened further out of hand when at 19:30Z the controller needed to state that Barcelona was full (meaning no parking space remained available) and a few minutes later needed to state that Girona had run full as well prompting a pilot comment "Let the aircraft land and put them on taxiways, carpark, roof ... but on the ground!". The controller was subsequently able to state that Palma Mallorca was open as an alternate aerodrome and in the clear. A number of aircraft decided to divert to French Airports like Marseille or Perpignan, the controller specifically thanked every crew diverting to France." (article found here: http://avherald.com/h?article=45b4bc8c) Video edited by Daniel Mori Audio Source: Liveatc.net