Operations were temporarily suspended at São Paulo–Guarulhos International Airport in Brazil following the detection of a drone. While many flights were diverted to alternate airports, Turkish Airlines flight TK15 diverted to Viracopos.
NOTAM Issued After Drone Detection
São Paulo–Guarulhos International Airport (GRU), located in São Paulo, Brazil, announced that unmanned aerial vehicle (drone) activity had been detected in the airspace under a NOTAM issued at 16:54 local time.
Runway operations were temporarily halted for aviation safety reasons, causing significant disruptions to arrival and departure traffic.
Numerous Flights Diverted
Following the suspension of operations, both domestic and international flights were diverted to alternate airports. The most frequently used alternates were:
- Rio de Janeiro–Galeão International Airport (GIG)
- Viracopos International Airport (VCP)
- Congonhas Airport (CGH)
- São José dos Campos Airport (SJK)
Due to heavy air traffic, temporary slot arrangements were also implemented at alternate airports.
THY Flight TK15 Landed at Viracopos
The TC-LGU-registered Airbus A350 operating Turkish Airlines’ TK15 Istanbul–São Paulo flight was among the diverted flights. The aircraft was redirected to Viracopos International Airport instead of its planned landing at GRU.
Safety-First Decision
Aviation authorities stated that drone activity poses a serious risk to civil aviation. An investigation was launched into unauthorized drone flights, which present a collision hazard particularly during approach and take-off phases.
It was announced that operations gradually returned to normal after the airspace was confirmed safe.
https://www.airportgundem.com/turk-hava-yollari-tk15-seferi-viracoposa-yonlendirildi/
