Changes in Congonhas Bring Alterations to Brazil’s Air Network

Brazilian flagship airline TAM will operate a new domestic air network beginning October 1st in accordance with provisions of Resolution 6 of Brazil's National Civil Aviation Council (CONAC).  Flights departing from Congonhas Airport will observe a 1,000 kilometer distance limit, and connections between airports will be direct, eliminating stopovers and connections, within a limit of 33 movements per hour (landings and takeoffs) for regular flights.

With these changes, TAM will operate direct flights from Congonhas to 19 airports: Santos Dumont and Tom Jobim (Rio de Janeiro); Brasilia; Campo Grande; Confins; Curitiba; Caxias do  Sul; Florianópolis; Goiânia; Foz do Iguaçu; Joinville; Londrina; Maringá; Navegantes; Porto Alegre; Ribeirão Preto; São José do Rio Preto; Uberlândia and Vitória.

Destinations located in the northern and northeastern regions and Cuiabá, state capital of Mato Grosso, will be served by Guarulhos Airport.  The new air network is subject to approval by the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC).

TAM announced earlier this month that its A319 Airbus will continue to operate at Congonhas without restrictions under dry runway conditions, and with minimal restrictions for takeoff from wet runways. TAM has 15 planes of this type, seven of them for the São Paulo – Rio de Janeiro shuttle service.

According to TAM, the Airbus A320 will also continue to land and take off as usual, using the main runway when it is dry.  When the runway is wet, there will be slight weight limitations for landing and takeoff.  TAM has 62 A320 aircraft in its fleet.

Only about 2% of TAM flights at Congonhas would be affected by the new runway configuration.  As far as the number of flights is concerned to and from this airport there will be no immediate change.