Major Flight Disruptions Paralyze Brazilian Air Travel on December 12

An unexpected wave of flight disruptions paralyzed air travel across Brazil on December 12, 2025, particularly at key airports in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. The operational chaos involved a total of 25 flight cancellations and 348 delays, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and impacting the nation's high-traffic air corridors.

Key Airports Bear the Brunt of Disruptions

The impact of the disruptions was not evenly distributed, with facilities serving the sprawling São Paulo metropolitan area absorbing the bulk of the operational strain. São Paulo-Congonhas Airport (CGH), a primary hub for domestic routes, recorded the highest number of disruptions with 12 cancellations and 148 delays. Meanwhile, São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (GRU), Brazil's main international gateway, also experienced significant instability, reporting 7 cancellations and 138 delays.

In Rio de Janeiro, the situation was similarly challenging. Rio de Janeiro/Galeão International Airport (GIG) faced 6 cancellations and 62 delays, representing a major impediment to scheduled services for the region. Santos Dumont Airport (SDU) in Rio de Janeiro also experienced significant cancellations, contributing to the widespread travel chaos.

Major Carriers Heavily Affected

Several major Brazilian airlines struggled to maintain their schedules amidst the disruptions. GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes and LATAM Brasil were identified as the most heavily affected carriers. GOL reported a combined total of 19 cancellations and 117 delays across the three main airports. LATAM Brasil registered 4 cancellations and 75 delays. Azul Brazilian Airlines also saw some impact, with 1 cancellation and 1 delay at São Paulo-Guarulhos International.

Causes Point to Weather and Operational Challenges

The primary cause of these widespread disruptions was attributed to a 'perfect storm' of factors. Severe early-summer thunderstorms, characterized by strong winds reaching up to 98 to 100 kilometers per hour, swept across the Southeast corridor of Brazil. This adverse weather compromised aircraft safety and ground operations.

Beyond the meteorological conditions, operational issues also played a significant role. These included technical difficulties, staffing shortages, and coordination failures between airlines and airports. Furthermore, crew-rostering shortfalls linked to new fatigue rules and lingering aircraft-maintenance backlogs from an October suppliers' strike contributed to the instability. In São Paulo, power outages caused by an extratropical storm on December 10 further compounded the problems, affecting utilities and air travel infrastructure.

Passenger Impact and Recommendations

The extensive cancellations and delays immediately affected the itineraries of thousands of passengers, necessitating the rebooking of onward connections, hotels, and planned tours. Travelers faced long waits and considerable frustration due to the need to reschedule flights. The disruptions also had ripple effects on local tourism sectors and placed unexpected stress on ground transport and pre-arranged transfer services.

Affected travelers were advised to immediately contact their operating airline to confirm their flight's latest status and discuss available rebooking options. Passengers were urged not to rely solely on generalized airport information screens and to use official airline apps and websites to monitor real-time changes.