Congonhas and Viracopos problems disrupt 345 flights across Brazil

Disruption overview

Operational problems at Congonhas Airport (CGH) and Viracopos Airport (VCP) triggered nationwide disruption across Brazil on Monday, with 141 cancellations and 204 delays recorded by midday. A TAM Airlines check-in system failure at Congonhas slowed passenger processing, while a disabled freighter blocked Viracopos’ only main runway and forced airlines to reroute travelers to São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) and Congonhas. Azul Linhas Aéreas also suspended all arrivals and departures at Viracopos until at least 3:00 pm local time. For flights covered by EC 261, passengers may be entitled to up to $650 compensation if their flight was canceled at short notice or arrived more than 3 hours late.

Disruption details

Operational problems at Congonhas Airport (CGH) in São Paulo and Viracopos Airport (VCP) in Campinas triggered nationwide disruption across Brazil on Monday, with 345 flights affected by midday. For passengers, this meant long lines, rerouted trips, and a day of uncertainty as trouble at two of the region’s busiest airports spread through the network.

By midday, the disruption had already reached a national scale:

• 141 flights were canceled, equal to 12.5% of the 1,124 scheduled nationwide operations up to that point.

• 204 more flights were delayed, or 18.1% of the schedule.

• As aircraft and crews fell out of position, the disruption spread well beyond São Paulo.

At Congonhas, TAM Airlines was hit by a computer failure in its check-in system early in the morning. Passengers had to be processed manually, which slowed check-in and boarding and created long queues in the terminal. The system was restored shortly before 12:00 pm, but residual delays continued as the airline worked through the backlog.

At the same time, Viracopos was dealing with a separate operational problem. Its single main runway remained blocked by a U.S.-registered freighter that suffered landing gear damage on Saturday and came to rest disabled on the pavement. The aircraft was carrying electronic and chemical cargo, and airport officials had no estimate for when it would be removed.

Because the runway stayed obstructed, commercial movements at Viracopos Airport were suspended. Airlines started busing or rerouting passengers to São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU) and to Congonhas, putting even more pressure on the wider São Paulo airport system.

Azul Linhas Aéreas, which operates about 85% of Viracopos’ passenger services, canceled all of its arrivals and departures there until at least 3:00 pm local time. The airline also halted ticket sales involving Campinas and said its priority was re-accommodating disrupted customers.

Because both airports are important hubs for Brazil’s domestic network, the disruption didn’t stay local for long. Delays and cancellations in São Paulo and Campinas left aircraft and crews out of position, creating knock-on problems across the country. Social media images showed crowded terminals in multiple cities, although no injuries were reported.

If your journey was caught up in this disruption, your rights depend on your route and how badly your flight was affected. For flights covered by EC 261, passengers whose flights were canceled at short notice or delayed by more than 3 hours could be entitled to up to $650 compensation. These disruptions were linked to an airline IT outage and an aircraft technical problem, which are usually treated as operational issues rather than events outside the airline’s control.

For domestic trips within Brazil, compensation depends on local rules, but airlines should still help you with rerouting or refunds if your plans have been disrupted. If your flight may fall under EC 261 and you want to understand whether compensation applies, you can check your flight with AirHelp in just 2 minutes.

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