A319
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure
In cruise; segment 80 NM southeast of ZQA VOR; lateral navigation on previously assigned clearance of direct CAREY Intersection for the DEKAL arrival into FLL. Two duty pilots and one cockpit observer on the flight deck; the Miami Center Controller became inundated with incoming radio calls from a multitude of aircraft inbound to Miami International; there was a TFR in effect for South Florida assumed to be VIP movement. We called to him three times to check our arrival status into FLL with no reply; the guy was that busy. Received an aural 'traffic; traffic' and TCAS: REDUCE RANGE message on ND (Navigation Display) both pilots switched our NDs to the smallest range (10 miles); we had a primary target less than 8 miles ahead at our same altitude (FL380). Around the time my mind registered what was occurring and that the traffic was opposite direction; I had placed my hand on the heading knob. At this same time the Miami Center Controller called out; 'Air Carrier X (A319); turn right heading 040; descend to FL360' and 'Air Carrier Y; turn right heading 270.' I turned the aircraft via the heading control and descended via vertical speed mode at 1;500 increasing to 2;000 FT per minute. Miami Center called us a second time as he had not heard the pilot not flying's response on the first call; the pilot not flying answered once again that we were turning and descending. Both aircraft answered the Controller and we made our respective maneuvers. As I turned the airplane our observer called out the traffic and was confident he was above us and in a turn opposite our turn. I glanced to my left and could see an Air Carrier Y; B757 in a right bank just above us and to our left. We leveled at FL360 and were soon re cleared direct CAREY Intersection for the arrival. We retrieved a phone number for Miami Center as I wanted to discuss the event once we were on the ground. The flight proceeded to FLL without further incident. This is the second time this year that I have been adversely affected by TFRs for VIP movement. When these events occur it puts an unreasonable amount of tasks on the controllers and simply overloads them. I was told by the Center Manager on duty that I spoke to after this incident that this had specifically occurred with my respective Controller. While assuredly nothing can be done about excessive interruptions by VIP movement; the ATC organizations tasked with controlling the affected airspace should have additional resources in place to handle the additional workload. This was a very dangerous situation and 15 seconds away from a very real air disaster.
Air Carrier with ZMA inbound to FLL experienced a conflict event reportedly resulting from a VIP TFR that was creating an overload situation for the Controller handling the flight.