Brazil’s civil aviation regulator ANAC has suspended the air operator certificate of Total Linhas Aéreas, grounding the cargo carrier until further notice. The measure took effect on 1 September and leaves the airline unable to operate its cargo and postal services, including flights linked to Correios, the national postal service.
ANAC cited serious safety and regulatory deficiencies, including critical and high-level nonconformities in continuing airworthiness, operational safety systems and aviation security. The regulator also found that Total’s Safety Management System and Continuous Analysis and Surveillance System were not effective enough to provide an acceptable level of safety.
The suspension is preventive and indefinite. Total will only be allowed to resume operations after correcting the findings and clearing further ANAC audits and inspections. Reporting also pointed to management changes at the airline that may have weakened internal technical and managerial knowledge, adding to the regulator’s concerns.
The decision disrupts cargo and postal transport in Brazil and underlines a tougher regulatory stance on airline oversight. Total, a Brazilian cargo and postal operator, had been serving the country’s mail network under contract with Correios.