The crew of a Bombardier Global Express operated by Germany’s Triple Alpha successfully negotiated multiple operational and security challenges during a recent trip to South America. On a charter mission carrying a party of Russian energy executives, the Global Express became the first of its type to fly out of the world’s highest passenger airport, La Paz’s El Alto International. The gateway to the Bolivian capital perches in the Andes mountains at a, quite literally, breathtaking altitude of 13,313 feet.
The departure from La Paz’s 13,124-foot-long runway provides a stern test for pilots’ professional skills and knowledge. But what made the trip harder was the fact that Bolivia is currently mired in a wave of political unrest and violence, making it an inherently risky destination for foreign business travelers. This required Triple Alpha to prepare a detailed security plan to protect its passengers and crew on the ground, and they were accompanied by armed guards from the moment they landed until they departed.
