Strong winds in the São Paulo capital region continue to affect flights scheduled for this Thursday (11). As of 3:30 pm, 63 arrivals and 47 departures had been cancelled, according to data from Aena, the concessionaire that operates Congonhas airport. 
On Wednesday, 88 arrivals and 93 departures were canceled for the same reason. The winds reached 90km/h in the region, but lost strength, and the peak recorded on Thursday morning was 64.8 km/h, according to the São Paulo Civil Defense.
Aena recommends that passengers with scheduled trips check the status of their flights directly with the airlines before going to the airport.
Procon-SP informed in a note that it sent teams to verify complaints from affected consumers, such as cancellations and overcrowding.
“For consumers who had their flight canceled and did not receive mandatory material assistance – such as accommodation, food or satisfactory re-accommodation – the recommended procedure involves immediate documentation and formalization of the complaint”, explained the consumer protection agency.
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The recommendation is to keep any and all proof: the airline ticket, the boarding pass, company communication emails and, if possible, the contingency declaration issued at the ticket counter.
If the company does not offer food or accommodation, the consumer must pay for what is necessary and keep the invoices and receipts. With this proof, you must register a formal complaint, through the airline’s own service channels (noting the protocol) and, if the solution is unsatisfactory, register the incident with Procon-SP and also with the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac).
“Complaining to defense bodies is important to try to mediate the situation and, if necessary, support future legal action for moral and material damages”, adds Procon from São Paulo.
Among the rights of those who would board flights affected by bad weather and are outside the municipality where they live are:
- prior information about flight cancellation through the airlines’ available customer service channels;
- travel, having priority on the next airline boarding with the same destination;
- be directed to another company, free of charge;
- receive back the amount paid or even
- Stay in a hotel at the company’s expense.
If the consumer is in the city where they live, the company can only offer transportation to their home and from there to the airport.
