Historic storm in SP cancels more than 340 flights in Guarulhos and Congonhas in two days

The airports of Congonhas and Guarulhos, in São Paulo, recorded 344 flights canceled between Wednesday (10) and Thursday morning (11), as a result of a windstorm considered historic by meteorology. Só this Thursday, there were 100 cancellations confirmed by early morning. The wind, with gusts reaching 98.1 km/h, occurred without associated rain, directly affecting air operations in the capital and in Grande SP.

The terminals opened with long queues at company counters and passengers waiting to be reaccommodated. The reflections of the weather event also reach airports in Rio, Janeiro and Brasília.

Situation at airports this Thursday

Congonhas accounted for most of the day’s cancellations. Até 9am, Aena registered 31 arrivals and 15 suspended departures.

On Guarulhos, GRU Airport confirmed at least 39 arrivals and 15 canceled departures on the same morning. The concessionaire reported that operations are now back to normal, but adjustments to the network continue.

Accumulated impact since Wednesday

The total of 344 canceled flights considers the two days of instability. Em Congonhas, there were 227 suspensions at that airport alone.

Guarulhos accumulated 117 cancellations between Wednesday and Thursday. Airlines relocate according to aircraft and crew availability.

Characteristics of the gale

Meteorologists highlight that the episode was unprecedented in the region. Pela first time gusts above 96 km/h occurred without rain or thunderstorms.

The phenomenon lasted more than 12 consecutive hours on Wednesday. The extratropical cyclone positioned on the country’s southern coast generated intense winds.

Side effects in the city

Grande São Paulo agreed with more than 1.5 million properties without electricity. Enel serves the capital and 23 cities in the metropolitan region.

More than 235 traffic lights remained off at 7am, causing a delay of 203 km on the roads. The water supply also records interruptions in several neighborhoods.

All municipal parks remain closed this morning. The city hall is evaluating partial reopening in the afternoon, depending on the conditions of each unit.

Repercussion among passengers

Several travelers report successive rebookings. A passenger from Fortaleza was waiting for a connection to Florianópolis with a new forecast only for December 14th or 15th.

Another case involves a flight to Rio from Janeiro canceled twice in a row. The companies advise contact through official channels for reaccommodation or refund.

Dealer measures

Aena and GRU Airport maintain extra teams at the terminals for service.

Official communications recommend checking the flight status in advance. Aplicativos and company websites update information in real time.

• Check flight status on the company’s app before going to the airport
• Bring your identity document and proof of travel to speed up re-accommodation.
• Consider full refund options in case of cancellation
• Keep contact updated in the company registration to receive notifications

The volume of cancellations should decrease throughout the day as the airline network stabilizes. Operations continue to be monitored by civil aviation authorities.