The FAB (Brazilian Air Force) provided aircraft to transport authorities from the three Powers more than 1,400 times in 2024.
One defines that authorities such as government ministers and the presidents of Congress, the Chamber and the (Supreme Federal Court) can request air transport on an Air Force Command aircraft.
Requests for aircraft are justified by “safety” or “service” issues. There is still room for other authorities and people outside the government
The president of the STF, on this type of trip. He used the official aircraft at least 143 times from January to December.
In 2023, the Air Force conducted more than 1,800 flights with authorities.
The exact count on displacements each year, however, is imprecise, as the FAB list includes routes in which authorities share aircraft, among other situations that can duplicate the data.
Furthermore, the agency has not yet consolidated travel data from December last year — information for each day is available on the FAB website, but the institution must still synthesize the list of flights for the month and the entire year into single files .
After Barroso, the president of the Chamber, (PP-AL), traveled at least 126 times in 2024 on FAB aircraft, being the second authority that used this type of flight the most. The deputy on a FAB flight
The Minister of Finance, , also made at least 126 trips, while the Minister of Justice, , made 91 flights.
FAB information also includes 91 flights made in 2024 without passenger information. These aircraft were “at the disposal of the Ministry of Defense”, according to the Force.
The list of the 10 most frequent passengers on FAB flights is still made up of the Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho (79 flights), the Minister of Defense, José Múcio Monteiro (76 flights), the Minister of Transport, Renan Filho ( 64 flights), the president of Congress, (63 flights) and the Minister of Education, (52 flights).
The decree that presents the rules on the use of FAB aircraft defines that requests will be met in order of priorities, which involve medical emergencies, security reasons and business travel reasons.
The text also points out that it is up to the requesting authority to “analyze the effective need to use Air Force Command aircraft to replace commercial flights.” Another excerpt indicates that “whenever possible, the aircraft will be shared by more than one of the authorities”.
The (Court of Auditors of the Union) provides information on the flights of high-ranking authorities, such as the President of the Republic, vice-president, the presidents of other Powers, as well as ministers of the STF and the Attorney General of the Republic. The court states that the list of flight passengers, among other data, could jeopardize the security of senior authorities.
The large-scale use of FAB aircraft is a practice that crosses governments. Upon assuming the Presidency, in 2019, Jair Bolsonaro (PL) promised to tighten rules, but official ministers of his government.
The report sought out the aforementioned authorities to comment on the matter.
The Ministries of Justice, Finance, Education and Transport said that the aircraft were requested for service trips or for security reasons, as provided for in the presidential decree.
The also cited the 2020 decree and the 1990 law, on the legal regime of public servants in the Union, saying that it uses flights in accordance with the provisions of the law.
“The request is made based on legislation, with the logistical support of the Air Force Command, and according to the need to travel at times in accordance with scheduled commitments,” he said.
The ministry also highlighted that it has two offices outside Brasília, including one in São Paulo, where Haddad usually has a schedule on Fridays.
The others did not respond until the publication of the report.
Authorities who flew the most FAB aircraft in 2024
- President of the STF, : 143 flights
- Mayor, Arthur Lira (PP): 126 flights
- Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad (PT): 126 flights
- Minister of Justice, Ricardo Lewandowski: 91 flights.
- Aircraft available to the Ministry of Defense: 91 flights
- Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho (Republicans): 79 flights
- Minister of Defense, José Múcio Monteiro: 76 flights
- Minister of Transport, Renan Filho (MDB): 64 flights
- President of Congress, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD): 63 flights
- Minister of Education, Camilo Santana (PT): 52 flights
Source: Brazilian Air Force
