Originally Posted by Bucking Bar

MMMX .... has any arrival ever happened as briefed? And that sucker can be briefed for hours.

Suggested briefing "you'll get vectors to inbound radials, these may be random. Someone have terrain up. Expect loss of nav systems and to be hit with a laser somewhere in the vicinity of the prison. RNAV/VNAV is your friend. Expect landing clearance at 300 feet. Missed - don't hit the mountain or the TS5 off the approach end. Probably best to hook a left before the ash plume, a right just by the EF5 then avoid the hail and you'll be fine.

Summary - Air Traffic Control is not so much "control" as it is a "service."

Nothing against the MMMX controllers. They're actually really good, working with a lot of accented traffic (including us) into a really sub-standard airport with terrain and volcanos.