transiting GRU during Carnaval
Jan 22, 2007 | 5:10 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,481
transiting GRU during Carnaval
I want to travel to GRU on Tuesday, spend the night, then travel to the US the next day. Questions for the locals (or otherwise knowledgable):
1) what can i expect as far as crowds and confusion in the airport (delays, lines, etc)
2) hotel availability affected?
3) traffic from GRU into Sao Paulo?
Thanks in advance for any help!!
1) what can i expect as far as crowds and confusion in the airport (delays, lines, etc)
2) hotel availability affected?
3) traffic from GRU into Sao Paulo?
Thanks in advance for any help!!
Jan 22, 2007 | 5:21 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Ireland
Programs: AA PLT 2MM, IHG Plat
Posts: 3,566
Neither local or particularly knowledgeable about SP so here goes. 
1) Probably depends where you're flying from.
2) I'd imagine they would be emptier than normal as most business travellers will avoid SP that week.
3) Again I'd imagine it will be better than normal if my experiences round NYE are anything to go by.
1) Probably depends where you're flying from.
2) I'd imagine they would be emptier than normal as most business travellers will avoid SP that week.
3) Again I'd imagine it will be better than normal if my experiences round NYE are anything to go by.
Jan 23, 2007 | 10:31 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Ireland
Programs: AA PLT 2MM, IHG Plat
Posts: 3,566
GRU primarily serves international flights. I flew out of there just after NYE and last July on the first weekend of the Brazilian school holidays both of which are busier than Carnaval in terms of getting to the US. Assuming you have elite status for check-in the only potential bottleneck is the Policia Federal check. This is very well organised at GRU (as is security) and even during these busy periods only took 5-10 mins to get thru i.e. much quicker than GIG at regular times of the year.
Last edited by oiRRio; Jan 23, 2007 at 10:44 am
Jan 23, 2007 | 5:41 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: ZRH, exFRA/HD, ex-SFO, ex-MUC, ex-GRU
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 674
The departures side will be rather empty, since GRU is not a Carnaval destination.
Same way for the city traffic: chaos on the Friday before Carnaval, then nothing going on during the holiday, and finally some incoming traffic on Tuesday and Wednesday.