Residents and tourists in Fernando de Noronha have been facing issues with leaving the island after the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) suspended flights by the company Voepass. Only Azul is currently operating regular flights in the area, limiting passengers’ options.
Since Tuesday (11), Latam has received temporary authorization from Anac to operate in Noronha. The company has scheduled emergency operations on the Recife-Fernando de Noronha route with Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft until Monday (17). Flights depart from Recife at 6:35 am (local time) and from Noronha at 10 am (local time).
Journalist Carolina Valadares, a resident of Brasília, is one of those impacted by the situation on the island. She traveled alone for a week-long vacation and, on the second day, received an email informing her that her return flight scheduled for the 18th was canceled.
Aside from dealing with this inconvenience during her vacation, Carolina now fears being stranded in Fernando de Noronha. Her ticket was purchased through Latam, which also sold tickets for Voepass flights.
Latam stated they could refund the money but didn’t provide a solution for leaving the island. Carolina says, “I have to work, take care of my 90-year-old parents. My father has Parkinson’s and dementia. I can’t stay here. And Latam says it’s Anac and Voepass’s fault.”
The communication on Latam’s website states that if they operate flights, passengers will be accommodated on these flights or on flights by other companies. The other option is a full refund without penalties.
Anac informed the Agência Brasil that commercial operations with jets will resume at the Fernando de Noronha Airport in April, which may normalize passenger demand handling in the area.
Azul did not respond about potential increases in flights or other measures to address the new demand.
Voepass stated that they are working with Anac to address the suspension of their operations and are implementing an action plan. They are ensuring that impacted passengers are assisted in accordance with Anac’s Resolution 400, which covers delays and flight cancellations.
