Narrative:

Insufficient information in sbgl ATIS to make correct takeoff runway decision. No specific information about reduced runway length on runway 10. Runway has been in various states of partial length for months. Air carrier takeoff data page for '10X' shows a length of about 2800 meters available. Upon requesting our clearance; requested runway 15. Was told by clearance that this would result in a significant delay due to landing traffic. Clearance then asked if we could take runway 10...and did tell us that construction has limited runway length...then immediately requested that we make a decision. We said stand by; and checked our data sheet and ACARS. Both stated we were legal by lots. When we called back to accept runway 10; were then told 'last XXXX not available.' english was very bad. Made him repeat this several times; only to finally and luckily realize that air carrier runway information for that day -- and clearance information -- were off by almost 5000 ft. Changed request back to runway 15 and were again admonished that this would result in a very lengthy delay; and asked again if we wanted runway 10. We insisted on runway 15. We did take a quite lengthy delay. Many yellow taxiway signs were not illuminated and/or covered with tall grass. Many blue taxi lights were also out; sometimes for 100's of meters. Controller's english is very poor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767 CAPT REPORTS SBGL ATIS INFO ABOUT RWY 10 AVAILABLE LENGTH NOT CORRECTLY STATED MAKING HIS FLT NOT LEGAL FOR DEP. RWY 15 WAS USED AFTER A DELAY.

Narrative: INSUFFICIENT INFO IN SBGL ATIS TO MAKE CORRECT TKOF RWY DECISION. NO SPECIFIC INFO ABOUT REDUCED RWY LENGTH ON RWY 10. RWY HAS BEEN IN VARIOUS STATES OF PARTIAL LENGTH FOR MONTHS. ACR TKOF DATA PAGE FOR '10X' SHOWS A LENGTH OF ABOUT 2800 METERS AVAILABLE. UPON REQUESTING OUR CLRNC; REQUESTED RWY 15. WAS TOLD BY CLRNC THAT THIS WOULD RESULT IN A SIGNIFICANT DELAY DUE TO LNDG TFC. CLRNC THEN ASKED IF WE COULD TAKE RWY 10...AND DID TELL US THAT CONSTRUCTION HAS LIMITED RWY LENGTH...THEN IMMEDIATELY REQUESTED THAT WE MAKE A DECISION. WE SAID STAND BY; AND CHKED OUR DATA SHEET AND ACARS. BOTH STATED WE WERE LEGAL BY LOTS. WHEN WE CALLED BACK TO ACCEPT RWY 10; WERE THEN TOLD 'LAST XXXX NOT AVAILABLE.' ENGLISH WAS VERY BAD. MADE HIM REPEAT THIS SEVERAL TIMES; ONLY TO FINALLY AND LUCKILY REALIZE THAT ACR RWY INFO FOR THAT DAY -- AND CLRNC INFO -- WERE OFF BY ALMOST 5000 FT. CHANGED REQUEST BACK TO RWY 15 AND WERE AGAIN ADMONISHED THAT THIS WOULD RESULT IN A VERY LENGTHY DELAY; AND ASKED AGAIN IF WE WANTED RWY 10. WE INSISTED ON RWY 15. WE DID TAKE A QUITE LENGTHY DELAY. MANY YELLOW TXWY SIGNS WERE NOT ILLUMINATED AND/OR COVERED WITH TALL GRASS. MANY BLUE TAXI LIGHTS WERE ALSO OUT; SOMETIMES FOR 100'S OF METERS. CTLR'S ENGLISH IS VERY POOR.

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.