The National Union of Aeronauts (SNA) warned on 20 May that it may declare a formal strike after talks in Brasília stalled over three contentious reforms: the stalled Complementary Bill on early retirement for flight crews; a Senate proposal to open Brazil’s domestic skies to foreign carriers and crews (cabotage); and a draft revision of RBAC 117 that could lengthen duty hours without collective bargaining. Union leaders argue that the combined measures jeopardise safety culture and erode labour standards just as passenger numbers return to pre-pandemic levels. The SNA’s manifesto—titled “The Right to Fly Safely: Against the Collapse of Brazil’s Air System”—has garnered over 7,000 signatures and support from the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA). For corporate travel managers, even the threat of a walkout is a red flag for the July business-travel rush tied to Brazil’s agricultural-commodity conferences and the São Paulo technology fair. Experience from the December 2022 crew stoppage suggests that a 48-hour strike could cancel more than 1,500 flights and strand 200,000 passengers. Companies are advised to build flexibility into itineraries, allow remote-work alternatives, and ensure their travel-duty-of-care policies cover meal and accommodation costs mandated by ANAC Resolution 400.
![Pilots and Cabin Crew Threaten Nationwide Strike Over Safety and Labour Reforms]()
For organisations that still need to move staff across borders during this period of uncertainty, VisaHQ can streamline the visa process: its Brazil hub (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) provides real-time entry requirements, fast electronic applications and group tracking tools, helping travel managers secure the right documents quickly while they rework itineraries.
The dispute also casts a shadow over looming debates on allowing foreign airlines to operate point-to-point services in the Amazon region—an initiative backed by exporters but opposed by labour groups fearing job losses. If Congress presses ahead without safeguards, analysts warn of prolonged industrial action that could disrupt freight as well as passenger traffic. Next steps: the SNA will hold assemblies in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre on 24 May. Under Brazilian labour law, a strike in essential services requires 72-hours’ notice, meaning the earliest legal shutdown could hit as soon as 28 May—unless mediation by the Ministry of Labour yields a compromise.
For organisations that still need to move staff across borders during this period of uncertainty, VisaHQ can streamline the visa process: its Brazil hub (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) provides real-time entry requirements, fast electronic applications and group tracking tools, helping travel managers secure the right documents quickly while they rework itineraries.
The dispute also casts a shadow over looming debates on allowing foreign airlines to operate point-to-point services in the Amazon region—an initiative backed by exporters but opposed by labour groups fearing job losses. If Congress presses ahead without safeguards, analysts warn of prolonged industrial action that could disrupt freight as well as passenger traffic. Next steps: the SNA will hold assemblies in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Porto Alegre on 24 May. Under Brazilian labour law, a strike in essential services requires 72-hours’ notice, meaning the earliest legal shutdown could hit as soon as 28 May—unless mediation by the Ministry of Labour yields a compromise.
