A massive snow-and-ice storm ploughing across the eastern United States has rippled all the way to South America, grounding six inbound and three outbound services at São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU). According to airport authorities, eight flights were outright cancelled and one significantly delayed between 24 and 26 January.
LATAM, the carrier most exposed on Brazil-New York and Brazil-Boston routes, confirmed schedule cuts but could not yet give a final tally of affected passengers. GOL and Azul, whose U.S. operations focus on Florida, reported normal operations, underscoring how weather disruptions can hit specific corridors while sparing others.
For corporate travel planners the episode is a reminder that North American winter weather can paralyse Brazil-bound itineraries even when skies over São Paulo are clear. Mobility teams are advising executives to build 24-hour buffers into trips involving northeast U.S. hubs until the storm system moves offshore.
![U.S. Winter Megastorm Cancels Nine Brazil-Linked Flights at São Paulo-Guarulhos]()
For travellers scrambling to reroute through alternative hubs, visa and transit paperwork can become an unexpected hurdle. VisaHQ’s platform (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) offers real-time guidance on required documents, transit-visa rules, and even rush processing, helping corporate mobility teams and individual passengers adjust itineraries quickly without getting caught out by sudden bureaucratic surprises.
Under ANAC rules, airlines must offer re-accommodation or full refunds on international cancellations, but Brazilian consumer-protection agencies recommend that travellers document all expenses and communications to expedite later claims. GRU’s customer-service desks extended staffing hours through the weekend to manage rebookings and voucher issuance.
While the immediate impact is limited—nine flights represent under 5 percent of daily long-haul movements at GRU—the incident highlights the fragility of post-pandemic airline schedules, where spare aircraft and crew are scarce. Analysts warn that cascading delays could linger throughout the week as aircraft and crews rotate back into position.
LATAM, the carrier most exposed on Brazil-New York and Brazil-Boston routes, confirmed schedule cuts but could not yet give a final tally of affected passengers. GOL and Azul, whose U.S. operations focus on Florida, reported normal operations, underscoring how weather disruptions can hit specific corridors while sparing others.
For corporate travel planners the episode is a reminder that North American winter weather can paralyse Brazil-bound itineraries even when skies over São Paulo are clear. Mobility teams are advising executives to build 24-hour buffers into trips involving northeast U.S. hubs until the storm system moves offshore.
For travellers scrambling to reroute through alternative hubs, visa and transit paperwork can become an unexpected hurdle. VisaHQ’s platform (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) offers real-time guidance on required documents, transit-visa rules, and even rush processing, helping corporate mobility teams and individual passengers adjust itineraries quickly without getting caught out by sudden bureaucratic surprises.
Under ANAC rules, airlines must offer re-accommodation or full refunds on international cancellations, but Brazilian consumer-protection agencies recommend that travellers document all expenses and communications to expedite later claims. GRU’s customer-service desks extended staffing hours through the weekend to manage rebookings and voucher issuance.
While the immediate impact is limited—nine flights represent under 5 percent of daily long-haul movements at GRU—the incident highlights the fragility of post-pandemic airline schedules, where spare aircraft and crew are scarce. Analysts warn that cascading delays could linger throughout the week as aircraft and crews rotate back into position.
