The election of (-PB) to the presidency had an unexpected effect far from .
Private jet traffic at Patos airport (PB) has almost doubled since the man from Paraíba was elected to lead the House. There were 227 departures and arrivals from February to August 2024 compared to 451 this year, a growth of 99%.
The cut excludes flights made with a FAB (Brazilian Air Force) plane, used by Motta since he reached the highest position in the Chamber.
Among the aircraft that have landed at Firmino Ayres Regional Airport since Motta’s ascension to the Chamber’s top post is a jet from , a company commanded by brothers Joesley and Wesley Batista.
Wesley for Motta’s victory in the Chamber election, in February this year, taken by his nephew, José Antônio Batista da Costa, who is chairman of fintech PicPay.
The JBS aircraft arrived in Patos on June 20, the Friday that began the São João celebrations in the city, and left the following day. The party was sponsored by PicPay, a Batista family company.
Another plane belonging to Valere Batista, sister of Joesley and Wesley, was scheduled to land at the location on June 20, but the flight was cancelled.
When contacted, JBS stated that the plane was used by PicPay, another company in the group. PicPay stated that “as part of its marketing strategy it sponsored ten June festivals in 2025”, including the one in Patos. “Company employees went to Patos and other cities to follow the actions.” Hugo Motta did not respond to questions.
The JBS plane was just one of 43 jets that passed through the city on June 20th. The day broke the record for takeoffs and landings at Patos airport. During the entire São João holiday, there were 120 arrivals and departures of private aircraft. On the same holiday in 2024, there were 64.
The 56 additional flights in São João alone account for more than a quarter of the increase in the number of landings and takeoffs in the city since Motta became president of the Chamber.
In the midst of this intense traffic are planes belonging to businessman Netinho Lins, mentioned in , da , which is investigating embezzlement of public funds and money laundering using resources from parliamentary amendments.
In addition to owning an aircraft, Lins also operates another that was in Patos on the same dates. In this case, the plane belongs to senator (-PI), a parliamentarian close to Hugo Motta.
Lins and Ciro Nogueira did not respond to the report’s questions.
Patos also received jets from owners of construction companies, bets, companies in the health sector and agribusiness.
The airport in the city commanded by Hugo Motta’s father, mayor Nabor Wanderley (Republicans), recently received an investment of R$35.8 million, R$21.8 million from the federal government and R$14 million from the Government of Paraíba.
The amount allowed the construction of a new landing and take-off runway and improvements to the signaling system. The works, delivered on June 19, just before São João, also included a new aircraft apron, a vehicle parking lot and air navigation aid systems, among others. Thanks to this, simultaneous operation of up to three aircraft is possible.
At the inauguration ceremony of the improvements, the governor of Paraíba, João Azevedo (PSB), thanked mayor Nabor Wanderley, the Minister of Ports and Airports Silvio Costa Filho (Republicanos-PE) and Motta “for the partnership that made this dream possible”.
The president of the Chamber, in turn, highlighted that with the work it would be possible to “bring convenience, agility and comfort to families in the backlands, who will no longer have to travel several kilometers to catch a flight”.
The expansion, however, did not increase demand from regular airlines for flights to Patos. Conecta, Azul’s subsidiary for regional flights, is the only one that operates trips to the location.
In July 2024, there were 62 arrivals and departures to Patos. In the same month of 2025, after the renovations, there were 30. In August there was an increase in the annual comparison, with 18 flights last year and 37 in 2025.
