Azul Embraer E2 GPS Instability Halted Brazil Flights for Hours
BRAZIL · AVIATION
Key Facts
- —What happened Azul’s Embraer E195-E2 jets stopped flying in Brazil for about three hours on 22 September 2026.
- —The cause Reports point to GPS signal reception on Honeywell Primus Epic 2 avionics; the root cause is unconfirmed.
- —How many Reports say 43 to 45 of Azul’s E195-E2 jets stopped flying; 18 flights were canceled at Viracopos.
- —The catch A report citing unnamed sources put the toll above 70 flights and 15,000 passengers; Azul has not confirmed that.
- —Safety Embraer said schedules could be affected but that there was no impact on flight safety.
- —What comes next Embraer and Honeywell are investigating together; no service bulletin or airworthiness directive has been issued.
A global problem with GPS signal reception kept most of Azul’s newest Embraer jets on the ground in Brazil for about three hours.
The Azul Embraer E2 GPS instability stopped almost the whole E195-E2 fleet in Brazil late on Tuesday 22 September 2026. Flights resumed the same night, and Embraer said flight safety was not affected.
What the Azul Embraer E2 GPS Instability Is
Azul said on Tuesday 22 September 2026 that a global instability in the GPS system was affecting its Embraer E2 fleet. The airline said the measures were precautionary and could change its network and some flight times.
Specialist aviation outlets report the fault sits in the reception of GPS signals by Honeywell’s Primus Epic 2 avionics. That system is fitted to the E190-E2 and the E195-E2.
Aviacionline reports the fault appears when a jet powers up on the ground before dispatch. A reset restores the signal for a while, but it can return and block departure.
Jets already in the air were able to carry on to their destinations normally. The root cause of the problem has not been confirmed.
Embraer and Honeywell set up a joint crisis team to find the cause. Neither company had published a technical conclusion by 23 September 2026.
How many flights were affected
Azul has not published its own total for this event. Reports put the size of its E195-E2 fleet at between 47 and 50 jets.
Aeroin reported that 43 of those jets were on the ground, leaving only two Azul E2s in the air. Airway put the number affected at about 45.
At Viracopos International Airport in Campinas, 18 flights were canceled between 17:00 and 21:00 on 22 September. That total was seven departures and 11 arrivals.
A separate power failure at the same airport earlier that day canceled 26 other Azul flights. The two events are not linked, and the totals should not be added together.
Valor Econômico, citing unnamed sources, said more than 70 Azul flights and over 15,000 passengers were affected. Azul has not confirmed those figures.
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The timeline on Tuesday night
Aviacionline reported that only two Azul E195-E2s were still airborne by 17:30 local time. Departures had largely stopped by about 19:00.
Flights began again late the same evening. Airway reported the first departure at 21:49 from Viracopos, after roughly three hours.
CNN Brasil said Flightradar24 data showed Azul E2 jets operating again on 23 September 2026. Azul has not said whether the fault could return.
Azul told customers to check their booking status on its official channels before going to the airport. It said passengers would receive assistance under the rules of ANAC, Brazil’s civil aviation regulator.
What the companies and the regulator said
Embraer said the event could affect airline schedules but that there was no impact on flight safety. It said the global E2 fleet has navigation systems and procedures for operating during GPS instability.
Honeywell Aerospace said it was aware of a problem with the reception of GPS signals by aircraft worldwide. It said its teams were actively assessing the issue to find the underlying cause.
ANAC said it was monitoring the situation with Embraer and the operators. The agency said it was checking that certification requirements were being met.
No service bulletin or airworthiness directive had been published by 23 September 2026. None came from ANAC, the US Federal Aviation Administration or the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.
Other airlines that fly the E2
More than 200 E2 jets fly with about 24 airlines around the world. Azul was by far the most affected operator.
Aviacionline listed reports involving KLM Cityhopper, Binter, Helvetic and Mexicana. Other outlets said E2 jets elsewhere kept flying normally that evening.
No operator outside Brazil publicly confirmed that its fleet had been stopped. Embraer did not publish a list of the airlines involved.
How many E2 jets were held on the ground outside Brazil is still not known. No full tally has been released.
Why this matters for expats and investors
Azul runs a large domestic network in Brazil and serves many smaller cities that other carriers do not. A short stop of its newest jets can leave travelers far from an alternative.
If you hold a ticket on an Azul E195-E2, check the flight status before leaving for the airport. ANAC rules give passengers care and rebooking when delays run long.
For investors, Azul left Chapter 11 protection on 20 February 2026 with about US$2.5 billion less debt. The company has not said what this event will cost.
One evening of cancellations is unlikely to change the year. A repeat, or a fix that takes aircraft out of service for days, would matter more.
What is still unclear
The technical cause has not been identified in public by Embraer, Honeywell or ANAC. It is not known whether the trigger was interference, software or something else.
There is no published timetable for a permanent fix. Azul has not said how it would handle a second stoppage.
Azul has not offered a special policy for changing tickets tied to this event. The standard ANAC passenger rules apply.
For now the jets are flying again, and the makers are expected to say more in the coming days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to fly on an Azul Embraer E195-E2?
Embraer said there was no impact on flight safety. It said the E2 has navigation systems and procedures that allow it to operate during GPS instability. No airworthiness directive had been issued as of 23 September 2026.
How many Azul flights were affected?
Azul has not given a total. Reports counted 18 cancellations at Viracopos airport between 17:00 and 21:00 on 22 September. One report citing unnamed sources put the national figure above 70 flights.
Are Azul’s E2 jets flying again?
Yes. CNN Brasil said Flightradar24 data showed Azul E2 jets operating again on 23 September 2026. It is not known whether the fault can come back.
Sources: Azul and Embraer statements of 22 September 2026; Honeywell Aerospace; ANAC via Panrotas; Aviacionline; Airway; Aeroin; Air Data News; CNN Brasil; Acidade ON; O Tempo; Gazeta do Povo; Azul S.A. Form 6-K, 20 February 2026.
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