Brazil Shuts Down Voepass Airline After Deadly Crash and Ongoing Safety Problems

Brazil’s aviation authority, ANAC, has permanently shut down Voepass, a regional airline, after a deadly plane crash and repeated safety failures. This decision came after a long investigation and several warnings to the company.

Voepass, which used to be called Passaredo, flew small planes between cities in Brazil. In August 2024, one of its planes crashed near São Paulo, killing all 62 people on board.

The pilots had reported heavy ice on the wings before the accident. Investigators found that the company did not follow all safety rules and did not fix problems that had been pointed out before.

After the crash, ANAC ordered Voepass to make changes, like flying fewer routes, improving maintenance, and hiring new managers. Despite these efforts, the airline failed more safety checks in early 2025.

ANAC found that Voepass’s safety system was still not working, and the company could not guarantee safe flights. With these ongoing problems, ANAC permanently revoked Voepass’s license in March 2025.

The airline could no longer operate any flights. Voepass then entered bankruptcy protection, saying it owed over 209 million reais (about $37 million). Most of its employees lost their jobs.

The government supported ANAC’s decision, saying that safety must always come first. However, the shutdown left many small cities in Brazil without regular air service, since Voepass was the main airline serving them.

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