Flights resume in Sao Paulo after brief airspace closure due to technical issue (updated)

LATAM Airlines

09/04/2026 14:56

Adds statements from Brazil's Air Force, aviation regulator and Azul throughout

By Isabel Teles and Rodrigo Viga Gaier

SAO PAULO, April 9 (Reuters) - The airspace of Sao Paulo has been reopened following a brief closure on Thursday morning, the Congonhas and Guarulhos airports' operators and the Brazilian Air Force said in separate statements.

Operators for the local Congonhas Airport and Guarulhos International Airport had said earlier that all landings and takeoffs had been suspended in the city due to what the Congonhas' operator said was an "electrical failure."

Brazil's Air Force, which is responsible for national air traffic, said the suspension lasted just over half an hour, adding it found a "technical operational issue" as the reason for the incident, without providing further details.

Guarulhos' operator said the issue did not happen at its airport, the busiest in Latin America.

As operators rushed to mitigate the impacts, Brazil's civil aviation regulator said it implemented a series of initial measures outlined in its pre-crisis protocol, with the aim of monitoring the consequences of the incident.

 Airline Azul AZUL53.SA reported that 12 flights were canceled and six have been diverted to other destinations.

 Gol and Latam LTM.SN, which with Azul make up the group of the three main airlines that operate in the country, did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

(Reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier and Isabel Teles; Writing by Fernando Cardoso; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Keith Weir)

((fernando.cardoso@thomsonreuters.com;))