US Flight Halt Disrupts Brazil Air Travel

Travel: Brazil

Published Friday, 13 November, 9:40 p.m. ET · Source: GRU Airport, Anac, Azul, US Federal Aviation Administration

A communications failure in the United States left planes in São Paulo waiting for permission to fly north on Friday night. Guarulhos, Brazil’s main international airport, felt it first.

Why Guarulhos Was Told to Hold Flights

A fault in the United States became a waiting game in São Paulo on Friday evening. GRU Airport, the company that runs Guarulhos, said it had been notified by a US federal aviation command centre to keep all traffic to or from the United States on the ground until further notice.

The order traced back to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which had halted departures from every US airport that afternoon. As we reported, the FAA called it a telecommunications outage that hit the control centres guiding aircraft between airports.

Flights already in the air could land, and international arrivals were handled case by case. GRU Airport asked anyone with a US trip to speak directly to their airline before leaving home.

Sean Duffy, the US Transportation Secretary, called it a communication issue affecting all of the control centres. Markwayne Mullin, the Homeland Security Secretary, said there was no indication of a cyberattack while the cause was still being worked out.

The US halt later ended after about four hours. Delays continued to ripple through schedules.

How Brazil’s Airlines and Regulator Responded

Gol said any decision on two evening flights from Orlando and Miami to Brasília would follow its safety rules. LATAM said it was monitoring the situation and preparing alternatives for passengers.

Azul said its Campinas-to-Orlando flight landed normally at 6:40 p.m. local time in Florida. It cancelled its Campinas-to-Fort Lauderdale flight on Friday and the return on Saturday 14 November, and said passengers would move to extra flights on Saturday and Sunday.

Anac, Brazil’s civil aviation agency, said it was monitoring flights between the two countries and told passengers to contact their airlines. It also reminded carriers that they must inform passengers of changes and offer free assistance.

Azul cited Anac Resolution 400, as amended by Resolution 813, the rule that sets passenger rights on cancelled flights in Brazil.

A Rare Order With Big Brazilian Stakes

Nationwide departure halts in the United States are rare. The previous one came in January 2023, when a failure in the system that sends safety notices to pilots stopped flights for about 90 minutes, and before that only after the attacks of 11 September 2001.

By Anac’s passenger counts, the United States is Brazil’s second-largest international destination, behind Argentina, and Guarulhos is the main gateway. A stoppage of any length therefore ripples through crew rosters and aircraft rotations on both continents.

What It Means for US Readers

If you hold a ticket between the United States and Brazil this weekend, check the airline’s app before heading to the airport. Delays can linger after a halt ends, because aircraft and crews end up in the wrong city.

Passengers on cancelled Brazilian flights are covered by Anac Resolution 400, so ask the airline what it offers. Americans on US carriers should look to the airline’s own policy and, for travel insurance, to the policy wording.

For investors, Azul and Gol both fly this market, but neither has put a cost on the disruption. We found no company estimate, so any earnings effect remains a guess.

What Is Not Known

No airline or airport has published a full count of Brazil–US flights cancelled or delayed. The FAA has not said what caused the communications failure.

We will update this report as official statements arrive. For wider context, see our coverage of the US flight halt and our Brazil events calendar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are flights between Brazil and the United States cancelled?

Some trips planned for Friday night at Guarulhos were cancelled, and Azul cancelled one Fort Lauderdale round trip. Check your airline for the status of your own flight.

What help do I get if my flight is cancelled?

Anac says airlines must tell passengers promptly and give free assistance while they wait. Azul said it would rebook affected passengers on extra flights.