Passengers affected by blackout at Viracopos Airport are entitled to assistance from airlines

Passengers affected by delays and cancellations after the blackout at Viracopos International Airport, in Campinas (SP), this Tuesday (22), are entitled to assistance from airlines according to the waiting time, according to the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac).

The power outage affected operations at the terminal since dawn. Azul confirmed 26 flights canceled due to the incident (read the airlines' positions at the end of the report).

At 3:45 pm, data from the Flightradar24 platform still showed 115 delayed flights. There is no confirmation that all delays are related to the blackout.

⏰ According to Anac, delays, cancellations and service interruptions must be communicated immediately by airlines.

The agency advises that passengers with planned trips should consult directly with the airline responsible for the flight to check the status of the operation.

In case of delay, the company must update the passenger every 30 minutes about the expected departure date.

What should the company offer?

Material assistance is free and varies according to the time the passenger spends waiting at the airport, starting from the moment the problem occurs with the flight.

The rules are:

From 1 hour onwards: communication, such as internet access or telephone;

From 2 hours onwards: food, via voucher, meal or snack;

From 4 hours onwards: accommodation, if it is necessary to stay overnight at the airport, as well as round-trip transport to the accommodation location.

If the passenger is in the city where he lives, the company can only offer transportation between the airport and home.

👉 According to Anac, material assistance is valid regardless of the reason that caused the delay or cancellation, as long as the passenger is at the airport.

The rule also applies to anyone inside the aircraft, as long as the doors are open, and to passengers who only discover at the airport a flight change previously made by the company without having been notified.

The company may suspend assistance if immediate boarding begins.

Power outage causes queues and affects boarding at Viracopos Airport — Photo: Wanderson Ramon

Four-hour delay and cancellation: what are the options?

In cases of delay of more than four hours, cancellation or interruption of service, the company must offer three alternatives, and it is up to the passenger to choose:

Reaccommodation on another flight;

Full refund of the ticket;

Execution of the service by another means of transport, such as bus.

Relocation must be offered free of charge.

Also according to Anac, the passenger can be placed on a flight from the company itself or another airline at the first available opportunity, considering the option with a date and time closest to the originally scheduled flight.

If this alternative is not convenient, the passenger can choose another flight at a preferred date and time. In this case, however, the trip must be made by the same airline and within the remaining validity period of the ticket.

What if the company doesn't resolve it?

Passengers who are unable to resolve the problem directly with the airline can register a complaint on the Anac Passenger platform.

Blackout in Viracopos

The power outage began at around 3:10 am this Tuesday (22) and affected one of the substations that feed the Viracopos check-in hall.

The problem left information panels offline and affected X-ray equipment used to access the boarding area. Part of the procedures had to be done manually, which caused queues and slowdowns.

The concessionaire Aeroportos Brasil Viracopos reported that the emergency generator also failed and that it was investigating the reason. According to the administrator, the effects of the incident on flights could last up to two days.

What the airlines say

➡️ Azul, which concentrates most of its operations in Viracopos, reported that 26 flights were canceled due to the power outage at the airport, in addition to there being delays.

According to the company, the situation is monitored by the teams responsible for the airport. The company stated that it adopts measures to reduce impacts on passengers with origin, destination or connecting flights in Viracopos.

Azul advised affected passengers to check the status of their reservation on official channels before heading to the airport. The company also informed that customers are receiving the assistance provided for in Resolution 400 of the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac).

Earlier, Azul had attributed the impacts on the operation to the weather in the Campinas region.

➡️ Latam reported that it was delayed on a single flight to Brasília (DF), which took off at 7:04 am, 1 hour and 24 hours late. The company reiterated that it has adopted "all technical and operational measures to guarantee a safe trip for everyone".