Air-Traffic Failure Briefly Halts Flights Across São Paulo as Delays Persist

Overview

• Flights across São Paulo’s busiest airspace stopped for about an hour on Thursday morning, with service restored but delays and cancellations still rippling through the day.
• DECEA, the Brazilian Air Force unit that manages air traffic, cited a technical problem and began an inquiry as unconfirmed reports pointed to a fire alarm and a possible incident at the regional control center in Congonhas.
• Aena and DECEA listed different shutdown windows, with Aena reporting 8:58–10:09 and DECEA logging 9:30–10:06.
• The stoppage triggered diversions and knock-on delays beyond São Paulo, with Rio de Janeiro, Brasília, Belém and Fortaleza reporting rerouted or late flights.
• ANAC activated its pre-crisis protocol to track the impact, while airlines including Azul and GOL reported cancellations and said they are assisting affected travelers under Brazil’s passenger-rights rules.