Brazil’s Postal Air Network Grounded Over Critical Safety Failures

Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) suspended all air operations of state-owned postal service Correios effective June 4, 2025, citing systemic safety violations.

Inspections from February to April revealed failures in screening cargo for hazardous materials like lithium batteries, improper staff training, and undeclared shipments.

The decision follows a November 2024 cargo plane fire linked to mishandled batteries, forcing an emergency landing in São Paulo.

Correios, which relies entirely on third-party airlines for air transport, admitted to “inherited operational deficiencies” dating to 2015, including outdated infrastructure and missing airport X-ray scanners.

President Fabiano Silva dos Santos stated modernization efforts began in 2024, with new equipment purchases and staff training.

A June 3 meeting with ANAC aims to validate corrective measures before the suspension takes effect.

The crisis compounds financial struggles for the postal giant, which posted a record R$2.6 billion ($450 million) loss in 2024.

Cost-cutting measures include shorter workweeks, pay reductions, and a restructuring plan targeting R$1.5 billion in savings.

Brazil’s Postal Air Network Grounded Over Critical Safety Failures

Correios also seeks a R$3.8 billion loan from the New Development Bank to fund modernization, including a 2024 partnership with Embraer to optimize air cargo using planes like the E-190F.

ANAC’s move mirrors its March 2025 suspension of Voepass Airlines over safety lapses, highlighting tightened aviation oversight.

For Correios, the suspension risks disrupting Brazil’s largest air cargo network, delaying deliveries nationwide.

The agency mandated proof of compliance, including revised risk assessments with partner airlines and detailed corrective timelines, before operations resume.

The incident underscores the economic stakes of regulatory compliance in aviation. Lithium battery mishandling poses severe fire risks, endangering crews and infrastructure.

Correios’ struggles reflect broader challenges in balancing public service obligations with modernizing aging systems—a tension shaping Brazil’s logistics future.