Brazil in Travel Hell as Thousands of Passengers are Abandoned across Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Salvador, Guarulhos and more with 360 Flight Cancellations and 1129 Delays by LATAM Brasil, GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes and Azul Brazilian Airlines, New Update is Here

Published on December 12, 2025

The skies over Brazil have been plunged into chaos. An unprecedented aviation crisis has unfolded across major hubs, leaving thousands of travelers grounded. Data confirms that 360 flights were totally cancelled. Furthermore, an astonishing 1,129 services suffered severe delays across eight key airports. This operational meltdown stretched from Fortaleza in the northeast down to Guarulhos and São Paulo. Key cities like Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Belo Horizonte (Confins) felt the immense impact. LATAM Brasil, GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes and Azul Brazilian Airlines bore the brunt of the disruptions. Consequently, this crisis severely tested the resilience of Brazil’s entire air travel infrastructure. Passengers faced long waits and uncertainty, highlighting the immediate need for transparency and recovery plans from the major carriers.

Major Airports Affected

The operational difficulties were distributed across multiple major facilities, with two airports serving São Paulo registering the highest combined number of disruptions.

• São Paulo-Congonhas: This facility recorded the highest total number of cancellations nationwide, with 110 flights being cancelled. An additional 285 delays were documented, leading to the highest overall number of affected flights at 395.
• São Paulo-Guarulhos Int’l: Serving the greater São Paulo and Guarulhos metropolitan areas, this international gateway was heavily affected. A total of 86 cancellations were registered, alongside 280 delays, bringing the airport’s total affected flights to 366.
• Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek Int’l: The principal airport serving Brasília, the federal capital of Brazil, reported 36 cancellations and 131 delays, accumulating 167 affected flights.
• Rio de Janeiro/Galeao Intl: Both principal facilities serving Rio de Janeiro experienced considerable disruption. Santos Dumont Regional saw 55 cancellations and 80 delays (135 total).
• Tancredo Neves Int’l: Serving the area near Belo Horizonte via Confins, this airport was affected by 27 cancellations and 109 delays (136 total).
• Deputado Luis Eduardo Magalhaes Int’l: The main airport for Salvador registered 14 cancellations and 63 delays (77 total).
• Pinto Martins Int’l: Located in Fortaleza, this northeastern hub experienced 9 cancellations and 43 delays (52 total).

Impacted Airlines

LATAM Brasil was the most heavily affected airline by cancellations, registering 219 cancelled flights across the major hubs, including São Paulo-Guarulhos, São Paulo-Congonhas, Brasília and Rio de Janeiro. A total of 367 delays were also attributed to the carrier.

GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes accounted for 73 cancellations but registered the highest number of delays at 505. This included a significant number of delayed flights in São Paulo-Congonhas (165) and Rio de Janeiro-Galeao Intl (87).

Azul Brazilian Airlines reported 67 cancellations and 193 delays, with particularly high cancellation figures registered in the Rio de Janeiro-Santos Dumont and Confins facilities. The scope of disruption was further broadened by the registration of one cancellation against United Airlines at Rio de Janeiro/Galeao Intl. The combined total of 360 cancellations and 1,129 delays was overwhelmingly driven by these three major Brazilian airlines.

Probable Impact on Local Tourism

The extensive nature of the flight disruptions suggests a significant impedance to travel planning within Brazil. With major international and domestic hubs like São Paulo-Guarulhos, Rio de Janeiro-Galeao Intl, Salvador and Fortaleza experiencing severe delays and cancellations, the logistical flow of both domestic and international tourists is highly likely to be impacted. Brasília, as a central travel nexus and Confins, which serves the popular tourist area of Belo Horizonte, were both registered with over 130 affected flights. Travel to and from these popular destinations, which include major economic centers such as São Paulo, is certain to have been complicated by the 360 cancellations alone. The operational failures, which were recorded across multiple states, highlight a major challenge for the Brazilian tourism sector, potentially affecting traveler confidence and local commerce in all affected cities, from Fortaleza in the northeast to Guarulhos in the south.

What Affected Passengers Can Do

Following the widespread operational failures—which included 360 cancellations and 1,129 delays—passengers whose travel plans were disrupted across Brazil must act swiftly to secure new arrangements and understand their rights. The sheer scale of the disruption across hubs like São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Salvador and Guarulhos necessitates an informed and proactive response.

• Immediately Contact Your Operating Airline: Do not rely solely on airport screens. Directly contact LATAM Brasil, GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes or Azul Brazilian Airlines via their official customer service lines, apps or airport desks. Seek confirmation of your flight status and discuss immediate rebooking options, especially since LATAM Brasil alone registered 219 cancellations.
• Document Everything Related to Your Disruption: Keep all records. This includes original booking confirmations, updated flight status notifications, new boarding passes and receipts for any incurred expenses (meals, accommodation) resulting from the delay or cancellation. This documentation is crucial for any potential future compensation claims.
• Understand Your Rebooking and Refund Rights: Airlines are typically obligated to rebook you on the next available flight to your destination, even if it is with a competing airline. If the delay is extensive or the cancellation makes your trip impossible, you are generally entitled to a full refund. Insist on being informed of all available options before accepting a solution.
• Request Assistance for Delays: If your flight is significantly delayed (especially at major hubs like São Paulo-Congonhas, which saw 285 delays), inquire about assistance. Depending on the length of the wait, the airline may be required to provide communication access, meals and, for extended overnight delays, accommodation in the city (like Confins or Fortaleza).
• Keep Track of Flight Details and Cause: Note the specific reason given by the airline for the cancellation or delay, if provided. While weather is a common factor, operational or technical issues attributable to the airline (which drove many of the 360 cancellations) may strengthen a compensation claim.
• Utilize Airline Digital Tools: Check the official mobile applications and websites for the quickest updates and self-service rebooking options. Often, the digital channels for LATAM Brasil, GOL and Azul are faster than waiting in long customer service queues at the affected airports.