U.S. Consulate cautions air travelers about trips to Brazil

In the aftermath of a TAM crash at Sao Paulo’s Congonhas Airport two weeks ago, air travel in Brazil has deteriorated into what the New York Times called “a full-blown crisis,” and the U.S. Consulate in that country issued a warning to travelers to expect problems if they are flying into or within that country. The Consulate said Brazil has been experiencing “widespread delays in air travel nationwide,” affecting international as well as domestic flights. “Delays of up to five hours are common and many flights have been canceled,” the statement said. “Other flights have been drastically rerouted. It is not clear when the situation will improve.” The Consulate advised travelers to be prepared for “long waits…and missed connections” at Brazilian airports. The Brazilian government has fired its Defense Minister, who was responsible for the nation’s air traffic system. The trade publication Air Transport World reported that Brazil’s government has also “mandated that airlines cease all ticket sales for flights to or from CGH (Sao Paulo Congonhas), with no timetable set for a resumption of sales.” Much of the problem was due to the ongoing closure of the main runway at Sao Paulo’s airport; however, late last week the runway was cleared to resume flight operations, so things could improve this week.