Congonhas Airport has runway closed after plane fuel leak By Carolina Costa
2 min read
 |
Landing and take-off operations at Aeroporto of Congonhas, at Zona Sul of São Paulo, were suspended for 37 minutes this Thursday morning (20). The reason was the spill of fuel by an aircraft on the main runway.
The interruption began at 7:39 am and ended at 8:16 am, after cleaning teams arrived at the scene. Aena, the concessionaire that manages the airport, confirmed the full release of operations shortly thereafter.
To date, there is no official balance on the total number of flights affected. The departure board recorded at least one canceled flight, two rescheduled flights and one with a considerable delay.
Security procedure activated
The spill occurred during the maneuver of an aircraft that was preparing to take off. The fuel formed a layer on the runway, requiring immediate intervention by ground teams.
Cleaning used specific products to remove aviation kerosene residue. The process followed Brazilian civil aviation safety protocols.
Impact on morning matches
Several aircraft remained in taxiing position during the closure. Passageiros on board waited for authorization inside the planes.
- A flight to Rio from Santos Dumont was canceled
- Two flights to Brasília had their schedules changed
- Other departures accumulated delays of between 20 and 45 minutes
The morning movement on Congonhas is intense, averaging 50 trades per hour at its peak.
History of similar incidents
Congonhas has already recorded interruptions for technical reasons in previous years. In 2024, the runway was closed for two hours after an aircraft tire burst during landing.
Fuel spill episodes are rare but require rapid response. The substance can compromise tire grip and create a fire risk.
Current operations at the airport
Movement returned to normal at 8:30 am. Aena reported that there are no longer restrictions on the main track.
Teams remain on alert for additional monitoring throughout the day. The airport is currently operating at 100% capacity.
Contingency measures adopted
The concessionaire activated the standard contingency plan for this type of incident. Caminhões cleaning and airport firefighters were mobilized in less than five minutes.
The procedure included isolation of the affected area and a complete visual check of the runway. Todas the stages followed the standards of Anac and Aena itself.
Fluxo de passageiros no terminal
The departure hall had a higher concentration of people during the suspension period. Funcionários advised passengers about gate and timetable changes.
Airlines offered assistance at customer service desks. There were no reports of disturbances or serious complaints at the location.
Aeroporto of Congonhas concentrates a large volume of domestic executive and regional flights, which makes any interruption quickly noticeable in the flow of passengers in the capital of São Paulo.
