Hundreds of Travelers Stranded across Brazil as GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes, Azul Brazilian Airlines and others Suspends 26 Flights with 199 Delays, Affecting Passengers in Rio de Janeiro, Campinas, São Paulo and Guarulhos, New Update

Published on December 5, 2025

A significant disruption has rattled air travel across Brazil today. Airlines reported 26 total cancellations and an alarming 199 total flight delays. Consequently, travelers faced widespread chaos in key aviation centers. Specifically, passengers experienced substantial operational issues in Rio de Janeiro, Campinas, São Paulo and Guarulhos. Both GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes and Azul Brazilian Airlines bore the brunt of these issues. They accounted for a large majority of the canceled and delayed flights across the affected airports. Therefore, customers must monitor their travel plans closely. We break down the exact impact by airport and airline.

Major Airports Affected

At Viracopos International Airport, which primarily serves the region of Campinas, a considerable number of flight disruptions were noted. Nine total cancellations were registered at this location, representing a high concentration of the day’s suspended flights. Furthermore, 41 delays were recorded, underscoring significant operational challenges in the area.

Meanwhile, at São Paulo-Congonhas, a core domestic hub in the heart of São Paulo, an even greater number of passengers were affected by delays, with 58 incidents being documented. Additionally, eight flights were canceled at the facility, contributing substantially to the overall national figure.

The Santos Dumont Airport, which connects the country to Rio de Janeiro, also saw notable disruptions. Six flights were canceled at this regional hub, alongside 18 reported delays. This concentration of disruption indicates difficulties on the high-frequency shuttle routes that connect Rio de Janeiro with other major business centers.

Finally, at São Paulo-Guarulhos Int’l, the primary international gateway of Brazil located in Guarulhos, the highest volume of delays was recorded. A remarkable 82 delays were documented at this critical airport, though the number of cancellations remained comparatively low at three.

Impacted Airlines

The disruptions were shared among four primary carriers whose operations were affected across the listed airports.

Azul Brazilian Airlines was the single most affected carrier by cancellations at Viracopos Int’l, where all nine of the airport’s cancellations, along with 37 delays, were attributed to the airline. At São Paulo-Congonhas, one cancellation and eight delays were registered under its name, while at Santos Dumont Regional, one cancellation and seven delays were logged. In total, 11 cancellations and 52 delays were reported for Azul Brazilian Airlines across the three airports for which detailed data was provided.

GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes experienced its most significant impact at São Paulo-Congonhas, where six cancellations and 34 delays were assigned. The airline was also affected at Santos Dumont Regional, recording four cancellations and eight delays. At the São Paulo-Guarulhos Int’l hub, one cancellation and 16 delays were recorded. In total, 11 cancellations and 58 delays were definitively attributed to GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes across these three airports.

LATAM Brasil was impacted at two of the listed airports. At São Paulo-Congonhas, one cancellation and 16 delays were reported. At Santos Dumont Regional, one cancellation and three delays were documented. This resulted in two cancellations and 19 delays being formally recorded against LATAM Brasil at these locations.

Finally, Avianca was cited as an affected carrier exclusively at São Paulo-Guarulhos Int’l, where two cancellations and one delay were attributed to its operations.

Beyond these specific figures, minor delays were being experienced by several other Airlines.

Probable Impact on Local Tourism

The concentration of operational issues in the southeastern region of Brazil might have notable downstream effects on local commerce and tourism. When flights are suspended and schedules are not maintained at major metropolitan airframes, business and leisure travel confidence is invariably diminished. The simultaneous disturbance at the Congonhas and Guarulhos airports in São Paulo, along with the Santos Dumont terminal in Rio de Janeiro, disrupts the flow of domestic and international visitors. Tourists planning to connect through the transport ecosystem of Campinas and São Paulo for onward travel to other regions of Brazil would have had their itineraries severely impacted, potentially leading to missed reservations and financial losses for the hospitality sector. The efficiency of the air corridor connecting Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo is vital for the economic activity between Brazil’s two largest cities and any systemic disruption is viewed with concern by local business associations.

What Affected Passengers Can Do Now

In situations where flight disruptions of this magnitude are registered, certain measures are advised for affected passengers. First and foremost, communication with the operating airline is paramount. It is recommended that the status of any scheduled flight be constantly monitored through the carriers’ official channels. Alternative routing or rebooking options are typically managed directly by the responsible carrier and should be requested immediately. Records of the delay or cancellation, along with all associated travel receipts, should be maintained, as these documents are required should any future compensation or refund claims be pursued. Passengers affected by these widespread issues across Brazil are also advised to familiarize themselves with local passenger rights regulations concerning flight disruptions.

-The information provided is sourced from FlightAware.