[grjr21]

According to a Rueters report


"Flights from here (Brasilia) to Manaus should be at even-numbered altitudes, like 36 or 38 thousand feet," Defense Minister Waldir Pires said in a telephone interview. "And those from Manaus fly at odd-numbered altitudes."

That confirms from this story  that they shouldn't have been there.


If there are any pilots here they may be able to verify this, and we know from  Sharkeys account they were flying a 37000.


The standard avionics  on this plane seem pretty impressive to this layman.



Also I wonder if the writers aren't confusing the Tcas system with th Radar Transponders

[cll]

If the flight is westbound, they would usually be assigned a even thousand altitude. If the flight is eastbound then it should be odd thousands. But in some circumstances deviations to this rule of thumb may be authorized.

[cll]

Juast checked and Manaus is northwest of Brasilia so an even thousand altitude would have been appropriate.