LULA

SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP):

Brazil's president fired his Defence Minister yesterday, hoping to bring an end to nearly a year of chaos in the military-controlled aviation system, including flight cancellations that have stranded thousands of travellers in the wake of last week's passenger jet crash.

The office of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said former Supreme Court President Nelson Jobim will replace Waldir Pires, who had come under withering criticism for his failure to improve the situation.

The air force oversees Brazil's air traffic control system, which has been under increasing scrutiny since last year's crash of a passenger jet that collided with a small plane over the Amazon. Last week's crash of a TAM Linhas Aereas SA jet at Sao Paulo's Conghonas airport killed 199 people, replacing the Amazon crash as Brazil's worst air disaster.

The chaos continued yesterday as TAM, the nation's No. 1 airline, cancelled dozens of flights to and from Conghonas, the country's busiest airport, citing safety concerns over heavy rain and the airport's runway. The cancellations caused a ripple effect nationwide that stranded thousands and sent tempers flaring.

TAM's main Brazilian competitor, Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA, recommended that travellers postpone flying until Monday. "In this period, the company hopes to re-establish the normal flux of air traffic," Gol said.

A British Airways flight from London scheduled to land first in Sao Paulo before heading to Rio was diverted to Rio because of the rainy Sao Paulo weather, said Infraero, Brazil's airport authority. Passengers who had Rio as their final destination had to stay on the plane on the tarmac and remain on board while it flew to Sao Paulo to let passengers off, before the jet flew again toRio so they could disembark.

To reduce the delays and cancellations, Brazil's aviation authority has temporarily suspended all ticket sales for flights to and from Congonhas.