Medium Large Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 2.25
Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Airspace Structure; Airport; ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Procedure
We had 5 aircraft landing [airport]. There were a couple of ties which caused some aircraft to hold for approximately 10 minutes without any incident. The controller that took over for us was informed there was not enough space at [airport] to accommodate Aircraft Y. The 5th arrival; Aircraft Y; began to hold and gave him a new ETA without clearance. When we took the sector back the relieving controller informed us that Aircraft Y had a fuel exhaustion time of approximately XB40 and that he attempted to issue clearance to Aircraft X to free up a spot on the [airport] for the arrival however due to solar flares and satellite phone issues did not get a read back.  I immediately took over the sector and called [airport] Flight Service and was able to issue the clearance to free up space for Aircraft Y. As soon as Aircraft X departed I got DME reports from both aircraft indicating they were separated and clearances could be issued for further descent for the Aircraft Y and further climb could be issued to Aircraft X. Both clearances also probed green in ATOP. After we issued descent clearance to Aircraft Y; we received an arrival message for the aircraft with the clearance never acknowledged. As far as I know; no one from our area has ever been to [airport]. I would never have known that there was not enough room to have 5 aircraft on the ground at the same time. We need some sort of system in place to have someone from the airport call and inform us when they are unable to accept any more arrivals instead of letting pilots decide to hold on their own with no clearance and not advising ATC. If we had the proper notice that Aircraft Y would not be able to land until Aircraft X departed we would have been able to hold Aircraft Y at a higher altitude and save fuel to allow the flight to land with all proper clearances.
I came into work the Sector after a break. Having worked the session before lunch at this sector; [airport] was experiencing several arrivals back to back. Aircraft X requested departure clearance off [airport] several times via satellite phone; all requested were told unable due to inbound traffic. The entire shift; solar flare was causing terrible communications on HF radio. Especially with Aircraft X flight both in and out of [airport]. Before leaving for lunch; 4 aircraft landed [at the airport]. [Airport operations] did not call to advise us that their runways/parking space was full and they could not accept any more aircraft. While gone at lunch apparently Aircraft Y came into the sector and was also landing [at the airport]. Apparently when Aircraft X called again to ask the previous controller for a departure and he went to give a clearance he advised the controller that no more aircraft could land [at the airport]. Aircraft Y was held in the 10 mile vicinity of the airport; per his request (according to previous controller in debrief). The previous controller also advised us that the Aircraft Y was minimum fuel in 20 minutes. Aircraft X had still not departed; and we reached out to [airport operations] multiple times; having difficulty getting in contact with them. [Airport operations] controller finally answered and relayed the need for Aircraft X to depart so that the Aircraft Y could land. Clearance was relayed; and Aircraft X was asked to report passing a DME fix and to an altitude that was separated with the holding Aircraft Y. Aircraft Y asked for his arrival cruise clearance minutes later. Still not having good communications or a departure time off of [the airport] for Aircraft X; we stood by on the arrival clearance. Once we were finally able to get ahold of Aircraft X and receive the DME passing point; we issued Aircraft Y cruise clearance. Within a minute we received an arrival message; before getting a readback on the cruise clearance. Communications were terrible. [Airport operations] needs to communicate with us if they can no longer take arrivals because the runway is full. Aircraft X aircraft was incredibly difficult to get in touch with when needing crucial reports for altitudes and fixes.
Controllers reported a situation where aircraft could not land at their destination due to the unavailability of parking space. Contributing to the problem was poor communication signal.