São Paulo flight snarls

São Paulo’s two main international gateways have logged more than 100 flight delays and cancellations in April, hitting domestic routes and long-haul services at the same time. (nomadlawyer.org) The disruptions were concentrated at Guarulhos, Brazil’s biggest airport, and Viracopos in Campinas, a cargo-heavy airport that also handles passenger flights for Azul and other carriers. Guarulhos says it has regained its position as the busiest hub in Latin America and the Caribbean, which means delays there can spread quickly through airline networks. (nomadlawyer.org) (gru.com.br) (viracopos.com) International airlines were caught up too, including Air France, Lufthansa and United, alongside domestic sectors inside Brazil. Both airports publish live flight-status boards, underscoring that the disruption touched mixed fleets and mixed route maps rather than a single carrier or terminal. (nomadlawyer.org) (gru.com.br) (viracopos.com) Airlines are now tracking a second risk far from Brazil: jet fuel supply in Europe. The International Air Transport Association said on April 17 that Europe could start seeing cancellations by the end of May if shortages worsen, after the International Energy Agency warned the region had only “maybe six weeks or so” of jet fuel left. (iata.org) (thepointsguy.com) That matters for São Paulo because Guarulhos is a long-haul hub tied to Europe and North America, and schedule pressure on one side of the Atlantic can ripple into aircraft rotations, missed connections and rebookings on the other. GRU’s own website describes the airport as Brazil’s biggest airport and a regional hub. (gru.com.br) (iata.org) European airport operators are asking governments to prepare contingency plans now. Airports Council International Europe warned this week that a systemic jet-fuel shortage could become reality in the European Union within weeks if supply routes do not stabilize, and said the summer tourist season would add more pressure. (aircargonews.net) IATA said authorities may need coordinated rationing plans and “slot relief,” the system that lets airlines temporarily ease airport-use rules when normal schedules become impossible to maintain. The trade group said similar fuel-related disruption is already happening in parts of Asia. (iata.org) For travelers, that leaves two separate problems on the board in mid-April: local operational disruption in São Paulo and a developing fuel-supply problem in Europe ahead of the summer peak. The immediate advice from both airports remains basic but practical — check the live flight panel before leaving for the terminal. (nomadlawyer.org) (gru.com.br) (viracopos.com)