Brazil suspends Voepass airline operations months after deadly crash
SAO PAULO, March 11 (Reuters) - Brazilian aviation regulator ANAC on Tuesday suspended the operations of regional airline Voepass citing safety concerns, around seven months after a crash near Sao Paulo killed all 62 people on board one of its aircraft.
The move is the latest blow to Voepass following the crash, one of the world's deadliest last year, after the company last month filed for a debt restructuring that could eventually lead to bankruptcy protection.
Voepass' regional flight 2283, an ATR-72 originating from Cascavel and heading for Sao Paulo, crashed on August 11 in the town of Vinhedo. A preliminary report found signs of ice buildup on the plane but no definite cause.
ANAC had been monitoring Voepass closely since the accident and said in a statement there had been a "breach of trust" regarding the firm's internal processes, leading to the temporary suspension.
"ANAC's decision stems from Voepass' inability to solve irregularities identified during the supervision, as well as the violation of previously established conditions for operations to continue within the required safety standards," it said.
Voepass confirmed that it had received the suspension order and would seek to demonstrate that it meets the safety levels required by the regulator.
"The company reiterates that its fleet is airworthy and capable of carrying out flights in compliance with strict safety standards," Voepass said in a statement.
The carrier, which flies ATR turboprops, is Brazil's fourth-largest but had less than 1% of national market share. According to ANAC, it had six aircraft operating in 15 locations, in addition to two charter deals.
ANAC ordered Voepass in October to implement measures such as reducing its network and increasing the time aircraft spend on the ground for maintenance in order to solve irregularities.
In late February, a new round of inspections showed the "degradation" of the firm's management system and the "systematic failure to comply with requirements", the regulator said.
"Therefore, ANAC ordered the suspension of the company's operations until it is proven that it can guarantee the level of safety required by current regulations."
Brazil's ports and airports ministry backed the decision, saying it had been following the supervision process and that the temporary move was aimed at making Voepass improve its governance and strengthen aviation safety in the country.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
a day ago
- Reuters
Brazil's fiscal package to include higher tax on interest on equity
BRASILIA, June 10 (Reuters) - Brazil's Finance Minister Fernando Haddad said on Tuesday that the government's new fiscal package includes an increase in the income tax rate levied on so-called interest on equity (JCP) payments to 20% from 15%. JCP is a form of shareholder remuneration that allows companies to deduct such payments from their corporate tax base. Speaking to reporters, Haddad said that the decision to include the measure - previously proposed by the government but not voted on by Congress - came at the request of lawmakers. Haddad also confirmed that the fiscal package includes the unification of income tax rates on financial investments at 17.5%, replacing the current sliding scale of 15% to 22.5%, which varies according to the investment's holding period. The new rate would apply to all investments, including stocks and bonds, except those currently exempt from income levy, which would begin to be taxed at 5%, as Haddad had already disclosed on Sunday. The minister, who spoke after returning from a meeting with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, said the additional revenue generated by the package would be used primarily to revise the previously imposed financial operation tax (IOF) hike on forfait operations. The IOF decree, which had been introduced to boost public revenues and also raised the tax on private pension funds and some credit and foreign exchange transactions, triggered strong pushback from both Congress and market players, prompting the government to seek an alternative path as lawmakers threatened to overturn the measure. Haddad defended the new fiscal measures on Tuesday, arguing that they are likely to support the strengthening of the Brazilian currency, pave the way for interest rate cuts, and help ensure compliance with this year's and 2026 fiscal targets.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Jobe Bellingham joins Borussia Dortmund from Sunderland in club record £26.9million deal as he pens emotional farewell
The midfielder has joined for more money than his high-profile brother JOBE DONE Jobe Bellingham joins Borussia Dortmund from Sunderland in club record £26.9million deal as he pens emotional farewell Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) BORUSSIA DORTMUND have announced the signing of Jobe Bellingham in a £26.9million deal from Sunderland. The Bundesliga club have confirmed the arrival of Bellingham, 19, who follows in the footsteps of superstar brother Jude. 1 Jobe Bellingham has signed for Borussia Dortmund Credit: Getty Bellingham joins Dortmund on a five-year deal running until 2030 after helping guide Sunderland to the Premier League last season. The teenager will wear number 77 for his new club, sporting his first name 'Jobe' on the rear of his shirt to avoid the weight of his surname. Bellingham has signed in time to participate in the Club World Cup for the German giants - who face Brazilian side Fluminense in their opening clash next Tuesday. The midfielder, who came through the ranks academy at Birmingham City like his brother, has impressed earned his switch off the back of two strong seasons at Sunderland. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL MIC SWAP Carrick takes up new offer alongside Man Utd icon O'Shea just days after Boro axe He managed four goals and three assists as the Black Cats finished fourth in the Championship, ultimately being promoted via the play-off final. Bellingham penned an emotional goodbye to the Sunderland fans in an open letter on his Instagram. It read: "Dear Sunderland, it's time for me to say farewell to all the loyal people of Sunderland, who have powered me through two incredible years in Red and White. "Your support, on so many occasions, has completely blown me away, especially in the times of adversity which we pulled through together. "You welcomed me with open arms as a kid leaving home for the first time, and I am proud that our relationship has grown to be so strong ever since. "Your support for the team and I since I arrived at your beloved club was unwavering, and for that I am forever indebted to you as people and supporters. "I will always represent Wearside in all that I strive to achieve for the rest of my career, wherever that may be. "I hope that I have made you proud along the way, and in return you have made me the player that has reached the heights I find myself at today. So thank you. "I will love and remember you fondly for the rest of my life, from the bottom of my heart. "I tried to embody the passion you have for the city on the football pitch and I'm so incredibly delighted that our journey came to an end with a victory at Wembley to restore the club in its rightful place. "To the staff, players & most importantly the supporters thank you so much & good luck for the future. "Jobe, Adopted Mackem." MORE TO FOLLOW... THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball.
Fashion United
2 days ago
- Fashion United
Spinnova's new strategy: Cost savings, lower fibre price and factory acquisition
Finnish material innovation company Spinnova (Spinnova) was forced to revise its strategy earlier this year following the withdrawal of its partner, Brazilian pulp and paper producer Suzano. Spinnova has now revealed its primary focus for 2025 and 2026. Spinnova's fibre can be used in many types of materials, but production costs remain high. By lowering these costs, the material should become more attractive for businesses to use. In addition, Spinnova aims to further improve the fibre so it can be applied outside of the textile industry. A further cost-saving measure is the consolidation of Spinnova's offices and production sites in Finland. According to the company's press release, this should result in annual savings of 500,000 euros. However, it is clear that Spinnova will continue to need partners. The company wants to build an international consortium of businesses to help scale up its technology. However, Spinnova has not yet named any potential partners. What it has mentioned is its intention to continue with its joint venture with Danish footwear brand Ecco. This joint venture, called Respin, uses leather waste and seeks new applications for it. Finally, Spinnova aims to become the sole owner of Woodspin, Suzano Finland and the Woodspin demo factory. Spinnova and Suzano had been joint venture partners in Woodspin since 2020. This was a production facility for Spinnova's wood-based fibres. In March, it was announced that Suzano had decided not to invest further in the collaboration with Spinnova. This was not due to a lack of confidence in Spinnova's technology, but rather a realignment of priorities and capital allocation. This article was translated to English using an AI tool. FashionUnited uses AI language tools to speed up translating (news) articles and proofread the translations to improve the end result. This saves our human journalists time they can spend doing research and writing original articles. Articles translated with the help of AI are checked and edited by a human desk editor prior to going online. If you have questions or comments about this process email us at info@
