Avianca Brasil Threatened with Embargo by Guarulhos Airport

By Xiu Ying, Contributing Reporter

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL – Struggling carrier Avianca Brasil will not be allowed to take off from Brazil’s largest airport (GRU), in Guarulhos, starting Friday, unless it resumes payments for the use of its facilities, the airport operator said in a statement.

Avianca confirms “that it is making payments to guarantee its activities at the airports where it operates.”

Avianca Brasil filed for bankruptcy protection in December and has since incurred increasing debts with lessors and airport operators as it continued to carry out most of its scheduled flights. The airline is very low on cash and fell behind on its payroll in March.

Guarulhos airport is not the first to adopt this type of measure against Avianca Brasil.

Floripa Airport, operator of the Florianópolis International Airport, signed an agreement with Avianca Brasil on Thursday to maintain the company’s flights. On Wednesday, the carrier had reported that the company’s flights could be interrupted for lack of payment of airport charges.

Airports in Porto Alegre and Salvador have also announced a possible suspension of flights.