Published on December 15, 2025
A severe air travel crisis hit Brazil today, sparking widespread disruption. Across the country’s major airports, 34 flights were canceled and 315 others faced significant delays. This operational turmoil centered on key gateways serving São Paulo, Guarulhos, Rio de Janeiro, Brasília and Campinas. The primary culprits were domestic carriers. Specifically, GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes, LATAM Brasil and Azul Brazilian Airlines bore the brunt of the instability. Consequently, hundreds of passengers found their travel plans upended. This report dissects the precise figures and affected areas.

Major Airports Affected

The operational constraints were distributed unevenly across five major airports, with the largest volume of disruption being registered at São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport. At this hub, 12 flights were canceled and a substantial 125 flights were delayed. It is noted that the largest share of the delays, 71, was associated with LATAM Brazil.

Advertisement
The next busiest domestic air link, São Paulo-Congonhas, was also heavily impacted, where 8 cancellations and 68 delays were recorded. The combined figure for cancellations and delays at the two São Paulo-area airports—Guarulhos and Congonhas—indicates the high degree of pressure being managed within the nation’s commercial capital.
In the Campinas region, Viracopos Int’l was characterized by a distinct concentration of disruption, with 9 cancellations and 55 delays being logged. All 9 cancellations and 47 of the delays at this facility were attributed to the operations of a single carrier, Azul Brazilian Airlines.

Further north, the capital was also caught in the gridlock, with the Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek Int’l in Brasília seeing a total of 1 cancellation and 44 delays. This airport’s figures are notable for the high ratio of delays compared to cancellations, with 30 of the delays being logged under LATAM Brazil.
Finally, at Rio de Janeiro/Galeao Intl, a more contained but still significant level of disruption was reported. This key gateway to Rio de Janeiro recorded 4 cancellations and 23 delays, with multiple international and domestic carriers being involved in the figures.

Impacted Airlines

Advertisement
The operational data reveals that the disruption was not limited to one carrier but was instead distributed among five distinct airlines, with the largest volumes of affected flights being carried by GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes and LATAM Brasil.
GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes accounted for a total of 12 cancellations (4 at Guarulhos, 6 at Congonhas and 2 at Rio de Janeiro/Galeao Int’l) and 66 delays across these three airports (33 at Guarulhos, 22 at Congonhas and 11 at Rio de Janeiro/Galeao Int’l).
LATAM Brasil was associated with a combined 7 cancellations (4 at Guarulhos, 2 at Congonhas and 1 at Brasília) and the highest total number of recorded delays, reaching 143. These delays were primarily concentrated at Guarulhos (71) and Congonhas (42), with a significant 30 delays also being noted at Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek Int’l in Brasília.
Azul Brazilian Airlines was listed with 10 total cancellations, 9 of which were logged at Viracopos Int’l in Campinas, alongside 51 delays. The remaining cancellations and delays were reported at Rio de Janeiro/Galeao Intl.
Minor contributions to the overall disruption were noted from other international carriers. Aerolineas Argentinas was responsible for 4 cancellations at São Paulo-Guarulhos Int’l, but zero delays were recorded for the airline.
United Airlines was associated with 1 cancellation and 1 delay at Rio de Janeiro/Galeao Intl. The scale of the disruption shows that the two primary domestic and regional carriers, GOL and LATAM Brasil, bore the brunt of the flight delays, while the cancellations were more evenly distributed among the major regional and one international operator.

Probable Impact on Local Tourism

Given that the affected airports serve major economic and tourism centers, a disruption of this magnitude is considered a critical factor impacting travel logistics. The high concentration of delays and cancellations at the major airports in São Paulo, specifically São Paulo-Guarulhos Int’l and São Paulo-Congonhas, immediately impacts both inbound and outbound international and domestic tourism. The adjacent city of Guarulhos, which hosts the largest international gateway, is directly affected by the cascade of canceled and delayed flights, impacting onward travel plans for tourists arriving in Brazil.
Similarly, the operational constraints at Rio de Janeiro/Galeao Intl directly impinge on travel to and from Rio de Janeiro, one of the world’s most popular travel destinations. The delays recorded at Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek Int’l in Brasília introduce complications for connecting flights and travel to the nation’s capital. Furthermore, the operational instability at Viracopos Int’l in Campinas, a key hub for regional operations, disrupts access to the interior of São Paulo state. While specific economic data on tourist loss is not provided, the concentration of 34 cancellations and 315 delays across these five metropolitan areas ensures that visitor mobility and the smooth functioning of the local travel sectors are significantly challenged.

What Affected Passengers Can Do Now

In light of the recorded operational disruption, passengers who have been affected by the 34 cancellations or the 315 delays are strongly advised to take proactive steps. Communication from the respective airlines—GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes, LATAM Brasil, Azul Brazilian Airlines, Aerolineas Argentinas, and United Airlines—is expected to be disseminated regarding rebooking procedures and flight changes. The specific contractual rights for passengers regarding accommodation, alternative transport, or compensation are governed by the policies of the operating carrier and national aviation regulations. Therefore, the official communication channels of the airlines should be consulted and all available documentation related to the original booking and the disruption should be retained by the affected passenger. The immediate focus is expected to be placed on the rescheduling and clearance of the backlog created by the 349 total disrupted flights.
-The information provided is sourced from FlightAware.

Advertisement
Tags: airline disruptions in Brazil, Flight Delays, GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes, LATAM Brasil, travel chaos

I want to receive travel news and trade event updates from Travel And Tour World. I have read Travel And Tour World's Privacy Notice .
Monday, December 15, 2025
Monday, December 15, 2025
Monday, December 15, 2025
Monday, December 15, 2025
Monday, December 15, 2025
Sunday, December 14, 2025
Monday, December 15, 2025
Monday, December 15, 2025

source