On March 22, 2020, the National Civil Aviation Agency (“ANAC”) made available registration, by means of an online form, to Brazilians who were abroad, with airline tickets purchased, but who had difficulty returning to Brazil due to air travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The goal was to identify the countries with the highest concentration of people, as well as the airlines that canceled their flights.
On April 14, 2020, after the information was collected, ANAC reported that the data was shared with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (“MRE”). Between March 22 and April 13, almost 17,000 people registered on the form, enabling the agency to provide repatriation flights in places with the highest number of stranded Brazilians. In the lower quantity locations, ANAC mediated for endorsement between the airlines that were on the completed forms, as well as being able to implement flight strategies.
We emphasize that a new registry has been adopted, with the Consular Assistance Form being the means of registering Brazilians held abroad and who need help to return, and more information is available on the MRE’s website.
According to data released by the MRE, as of April 14, more than 12,500 people had already been repatriated from Australia, South Africa, Portugal, Argentina, Peru, Dominican Republic, Cuba, France, Germany, United Kingdom, among other countries.
Finally, ANAC advises all people with tickets purchased to seek information about their rights and duties on the agency’s website and, in case of inconvenience, to seek the service channels of the airline company itself. If there is a violation of any right or disagreement with the measures taken, it will be possible to file a complaint on the website: consumidor.gov.br, where ANAC monitors the services provided by the sector.
The Aeronautical Law team at DDSA – De Luca, Derenusson e Schuttoff Advogados is available for further clarifications on the subject.