Brazil’s Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC) or National Civil Aviation Agency announced on October 12 with immediate effect that jet aircraft are barred from flying to Fernando de Noronha (SBFN) due to safety concerns regarding the runway being in a sub-optimal state. The airport operator was already notified about the problem in 2019, but any repairs that were conducted on the 1,845m (6,053ft) asphalt runway were deemed unsatisfactory after extensive monitoring by the ANAC over the past 3 years.
Prior to the ban on jets, two commercial airlines (Azul Linhas Aéreas Brasileiras and Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes) served the island utilizing Embraer 195/E2 and Boeing 737-700 aircraft with a capacity of 118, 136 and 144 passengers respectively. Azul has already announced that they will continue to operate the Recife - Fernando de Noronha route, using 70-seat ATR 72-600 to replace the Embraer in order to comply with the regulations. GOL will temporarily suspend services to the airport; there were plans for Voepass to replace the former using ATR 72 aircraft, however they are not expected to happen any time too soon due to how approval must be specially obtained from the municipality of Pernambuco in order for an airline to launch operations to Fernando de Noronha.
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