Brazil’s busiest international gateway, São Paulo/Guarulhos, returned to full operations on 21 February 2026 following a disruptive drone incursion six days earlier that forced the cancellation of more than 50 flights. According to the airport’s own bulletin, unmanned aerial vehicles were sighted near both runways on the evening of 15 February, triggering an immediate ground stop lasting nearly three hours and cascading cancellations into the following morning.
The Military Police’s Special Operations Command deployed a signal-jamming unit to neutralise the drones, while the Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC) has opened an investigation that could lead to criminal charges carrying prison sentences of up to five years under Brazil’s Aeronautical Code. No suspect has been identified.
For travellers who suddenly need to reroute or obtain updated travel documentation because of incidents like this, VisaHQ can quickly arrange Brazil e-visas, business visas, or passport renewals and deliver full status tracking through its portal: https://www.visahq.com/brazil/ Having a single point of contact for documents can remove one layer of uncertainty when flight schedules are already in flux.
![Guarulhos Airport Resumes Normal Operations After Drone Chaos Cancels 50 Flights]()
Airlines rerouted long-haul aircraft to Campinas and Rio de Janeiro, and some 8,000 passengers required hotel accommodation, according to the Brazilian Association of Airline Companies (ABEAR). Cargo operators reported delays to pharmaceutical shipments destined for Manaus and Santiago.
The incident revives industry concerns about airport-drone defences during Brazil’s extended Carnaval period, when illegal hobby flights spike. GRU Airport says it will invest R$ 12 million in counter-UAV radar and infrared cameras by June and is lobbying Congress for permission to deploy ‘drone-killer’ net guns within the perimeter.
Global-mobility teams should note that insurance underwriters are assessing whether drone disruptions constitute ‘extraordinary circumstances’ under EC261-style compensation rules that Brazilian courts have begun to apply domestically. Until jurisprudence settles, companies may be liable for extra hotel nights and rebooking costs when employee trips are disrupted.
The Military Police’s Special Operations Command deployed a signal-jamming unit to neutralise the drones, while the Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC) has opened an investigation that could lead to criminal charges carrying prison sentences of up to five years under Brazil’s Aeronautical Code. No suspect has been identified.
For travellers who suddenly need to reroute or obtain updated travel documentation because of incidents like this, VisaHQ can quickly arrange Brazil e-visas, business visas, or passport renewals and deliver full status tracking through its portal: https://www.visahq.com/brazil/ Having a single point of contact for documents can remove one layer of uncertainty when flight schedules are already in flux.
Airlines rerouted long-haul aircraft to Campinas and Rio de Janeiro, and some 8,000 passengers required hotel accommodation, according to the Brazilian Association of Airline Companies (ABEAR). Cargo operators reported delays to pharmaceutical shipments destined for Manaus and Santiago.
The incident revives industry concerns about airport-drone defences during Brazil’s extended Carnaval period, when illegal hobby flights spike. GRU Airport says it will invest R$ 12 million in counter-UAV radar and infrared cameras by June and is lobbying Congress for permission to deploy ‘drone-killer’ net guns within the perimeter.
Global-mobility teams should note that insurance underwriters are assessing whether drone disruptions constitute ‘extraordinary circumstances’ under EC261-style compensation rules that Brazilian courts have begun to apply domestically. Until jurisprudence settles, companies may be liable for extra hotel nights and rebooking costs when employee trips are disrupted.
