Narrative:

The controller had very bad english and was unable to communicate his intentions to the cockpit. We had just about finished a bathroom break with one of our flight attendants still in the cockpit when we began the communication process to request descent from cruise altitude. I had the flight attendant close the door and remain inside the cockpit along with the two of us as the confusion began. All 3 of us could not understand at all what the controller was attempting to communicate with us. I then decided at the first officer's suggestion that we have our #1 flight attendant come in and switch with the one that was already in the cockpit since she was a spanish speaker. With much difficulty; we finally were able to get a descent though it was quite late and consequently had to fly quite far out of the way as directed by the controller in order to accomplish the descent into svmi. The flight attendant remained in the cockpit for the remainder of the descent; approach; and landing in case we had any other communication difficulties. On approach while in the WX; about 5 mi out; tower instructed us to taxi; which did not give us any appreciable level of comfort not having tower realize our position. Not having clear english speaking controllers; in my view; makes this an unsafe operation. It is unacceptable for air crews to fly into caracas with controllers who do not have command of the english language. This controller should be immediately tested to ascertain his level of competence with regard to his command of the english language. I have flown into svmi numerous times and have never had near the difficulty in communicating as I did on this flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW REPORTS LANGUAGE DIFFICULTIES WITH SVMI ATC.

Narrative: THE CTLR HAD VERY BAD ENGLISH AND WAS UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE HIS INTENTIONS TO THE COCKPIT. WE HAD JUST ABOUT FINISHED A BATHROOM BREAK WITH ONE OF OUR FLT ATTENDANTS STILL IN THE COCKPIT WHEN WE BEGAN THE COM PROCESS TO REQUEST DSCNT FROM CRUISE ALT. I HAD THE FLT ATTENDANT CLOSE THE DOOR AND REMAIN INSIDE THE COCKPIT ALONG WITH THE TWO OF US AS THE CONFUSION BEGAN. ALL 3 OF US COULD NOT UNDERSTAND AT ALL WHAT THE CTLR WAS ATTEMPTING TO COMMUNICATE WITH US. I THEN DECIDED AT THE FO'S SUGGESTION THAT WE HAVE OUR #1 FLT ATTENDANT COME IN AND SWITCH WITH THE ONE THAT WAS ALREADY IN THE COCKPIT SINCE SHE WAS A SPANISH SPEAKER. WITH MUCH DIFFICULTY; WE FINALLY WERE ABLE TO GET A DSCNT THOUGH IT WAS QUITE LATE AND CONSEQUENTLY HAD TO FLY QUITE FAR OUT OF THE WAY AS DIRECTED BY THE CTLR IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THE DSCNT INTO SVMI. THE FLT ATTENDANT REMAINED IN THE COCKPIT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DSCNT; APCH; AND LNDG IN CASE WE HAD ANY OTHER COM DIFFICULTIES. ON APCH WHILE IN THE WX; ABOUT 5 MI OUT; TWR INSTRUCTED US TO TAXI; WHICH DID NOT GIVE US ANY APPRECIABLE LEVEL OF COMFORT NOT HAVING TWR REALIZE OUR POS. NOT HAVING CLR ENGLISH SPEAKING CTLRS; IN MY VIEW; MAKES THIS AN UNSAFE OP. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR AIR CREWS TO FLY INTO CARACAS WITH CTLRS WHO DO NOT HAVE COMMAND OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. THIS CTLR SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY TESTED TO ASCERTAIN HIS LEVEL OF COMPETENCE WITH REGARD TO HIS COMMAND OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. I HAVE FLOWN INTO SVMI NUMEROUS TIMES AND HAVE NEVER HAD NEAR THE DIFFICULTY IN COMMUNICATING AS I DID ON THIS FLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.