GRU Airport reported that operations are back to normal this Saturday (14), after the stoppage of air traffic in the United States on Friday (13). Ten flights were canceled due to the incidents; In the morning, there were still flights from the USA with cancellations and delays of up to four hours.
By Cinthia Toledo, Vítor Anastácio, Paola Patriarca, TV Globo and g1 SP
Operations at São Paulo International Airport, in Guarulhos, are back to normal this Saturday (14), according to GRU Airport, the concessionaire that manages the terminal. The situation occurs after a failure in United States air traffic control caused a stoppage of around four hours on Friday (13).
According to the concessionaire, ten flights were canceled due to incidents recorded in United States air traffic, with an impact on the operation in Guarulhos.
Early this Saturday morning, there were still reflections of the problem. Among the flights scheduled to arrive in Guarulhos by 7am, two were cancelled. Both would come from New York and were scheduled to land at 6:15 am and 7 am.
Other arrivals from the United States were delayed by three to four hours. Despite the changes recorded in the morning, movement was smooth at Guarulhos Airport.
In a note, GRU Airport advised that passengers should contact their airline directly to obtain updated information about their flights, possible changes and other guidance.
Flights from Atlanta and Miami are delayed
One of the biggest delays recorded was a flight from Atlanta. Arrival was scheduled for 5:40 am, but the new forecast was for landing at 9:45 am, more than four hours later.
Another flight, coming from Miami, was supposed to arrive in Guarulhos at 6:20 am. The landing forecast was increased to 9:38 am, a delay of more than three hours.
Despite the problems, there was no record of confusion among passengers at the airport this Saturday morning.
On Friday, passengers affected by the delays waited for information in front of the boarding gates. Some remained inside the aircraft when the flights were close to their scheduled departure time.
First flight from Guarulhos to the USA this Saturday (14) appears confirmed
Regarding departures from Guarulhos to the United States, the first flight scheduled this Saturday is to Miami, at 10:15 am.
Early in the morning, at 6:30 am, the departure appeared on the airport panel as confirmed, with check-in open.
Given the consequences of the shutdown in the United States, however, passengers are advised to consult the airlines directly to check the status of their flights.
Flight panel at Guarulhos Airport, in SP — Photo: Gabriel Diehl/ Personal archive
US resumed takeoffs after four hours of shutdown
The United States began resuming operations on Friday night. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorized the resumption at 8:15 pm East Coast time, 10:15 pm Brasília time.
The suspension of takeoffs lasted around four hours and was determined after air traffic control centers registered problems with radar and communication systems.
According to the American government, the equipment responsible for transmitting and organizing information between the centers was overloaded and began to present inconsistent data.
The government also reported that the immediate problem had been corrected and that operations could safely resume. Still, the expectation is that the effects of the strike will continue in the coming days.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that airlines will need time to reorganize operations.
"It's going to be slow," Duffy told reporters at the White House.
Runway at Cumbica International Airport, in Guarulhos — Photo: Sidnei Barros/Prefeitura de Guarulhos
Almost 10,000 flights were canceled in the US
As of 11:30 pm on Friday, local time, almost 10,000 flights had been canceled in the United States, according to Flightradar24.
Among the most affected companies were Delta Air Lines and American Airlines, with more than 2,200 cancellations each, and United Airlines, with 1,800. At some of the main American airports, passengers waited more than five hours to disembark.
Experts in the airline industry estimate that the effects of the stoppage could last for several days, even after operations resume.
Ten flights from Guarulhos to the USA were canceled on Friday (13)
On Friday (13), the concessionaire GRU Airport informed TV Globo and g1 that it had received a safety alert so that air traffic originating or ending in the United States would remain on the ground until further notice.
Of the 15 flights to the United States scheduled to leave Guarulhos, ten were canceled and two were delayed.
The canceled flights were operated by American Airlines and Latam and included destinations such as Miami, New York, Dallas, Los Angeles and Boston. Another seven flights operated by United Airlines and Delta were confirmed at the time of the investigation, with destinations such as Chicago, Houston, Washington, Atlanta and New York.
Airlines said Friday they were monitoring the impacts of the shutdown and working to assist affected passengers. Latam, for example, reported that it sought to offer "possible alternatives to passengers who may be affected, including flexibility options to facilitate the rescheduling of their trips."
