Narrative:

Dispatch chose to use ZZZZ1 as a etops alternate. At the time of flight planning taf report was legal and ZZZZ1 was listed in the system as an a alternate. Field conditions were dry good braking. No metar was available at the time of flight planning dispatch was asked to obtain for the temperature report. Notams were listed as nil.enroute we attempted several times to get a metar report via acars but were unsuccessful. Asked dispatch once again for a temp report at ZZZZ1 and they came back with a -8 answer; not sure where that information came from as they could not provide a metar report for the airport. We asked if the part time tower was open and dispatch said yes. We asked if the airport was open and once again were told yes but no hourly weather report. At this point we advised dispatch that we needed a new ETOPS alternate as the airport in our opinion was not suitable because it was a foreign speaking only airport. If we diverted we would not be able to get weather to determine if it was legal or to shoot the approach if needed. Could not communicate with ATC; foreign speaking only. We should not have to [use captain's authority] just to use an alternate airport. Runway slope was non-standard 2.7%. Dispatch came back with the answer no other alt. Available. After a period of time dispatch reworked the 180 minute ETOPS solution to change alternate to ZZZZ2. Because it was a foreign only airport we assume that was the reason dispatch could not call to determine the status of the airport? After more research we found the statement for the airport 'only most critical emergency diversion; domestic airport - no customs or border services.' this captain will not use ZZZZ1 for any alternate purposes again unless I was on fire or severe fuel leak. Forget about engine failure or othe mechanical issues. I highly recommend removing this airport as a suitable airport for alternate purposes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777 Captain questioned the safety and suitability of a Dispatch assigned ETOPS alternate airport due language issue; approach procedure and runway slope.

Narrative: Dispatch chose to use ZZZZ1 as a etops alternate. At the time of flight planning TAF report was legal and ZZZZ1 was listed in the system as an A alternate. Field conditions were dry good braking. No metar was available at the time of flight planning dispatch was asked to obtain for the temperature report. Notams were listed as NIL.Enroute we attempted several times to get a metar report via acars but were unsuccessful. Asked dispatch once again for a temp report at ZZZZ1 and they came back with a -8 answer; not sure where that information came from as they could not provide a metar report for the airport. We asked if the part time tower was open and dispatch said yes. We asked if the airport was open and once again were told yes but no hourly weather report. At this point we advised dispatch that we needed a new ETOPS alternate as the airport in our opinion was not suitable because it was a foreign speaking only airport. If we diverted we would not be able to get weather to determine if it was legal or to shoot the approach if needed. Could not communicate with ATC; FOREIGN SPEAKING ONLY. We should not have to [use Captain's authority] just to use an alternate airport. Runway slope was non-standard 2.7%. Dispatch came back with the answer no other alt. Available. After a period of time dispatch reworked the 180 minute ETOPS solution to change alternate to ZZZZ2. Because it was a foreign only airport we assume that was the reason dispatch could not call to determine the status of the airport? After more research we found the statement for the airport 'ONLY MOST CRITICAL EMERGENCY DIVERSION; DOMESTIC AIRPORT - no customs or border services.' This captain will not use ZZZZ1 for any alternate purposes again unless I was on fire or severe fuel leak. Forget about engine failure or othe mechanical issues. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND removing this airport as a suitable airport for alternate purposes.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.