Brazil’s Audit Court Orders Overhaul of Rules for Officials’ Use of Air Force Jets

Overview

• The Federal Audit Court, which ruled Wednesday, gave the Casa Civil, the Defense Ministry and the Air Force 30 days to file a reform plan and 180 days to put new rules in place.
• Technical auditors reviewed 7,491 missions flown from March 2020 to July 2024 that carried more than 73,000 passengers at an estimated cost of R$285.2 million.
• Flights were often underused, with 111 trips carrying one passenger, 1,585 trips carrying up to five people, and an average seat occupancy of 55%.
• Transport on Air Force aircraft was far more expensive than commercial options, with 2024 per‑passenger costs averaging 6.4 times higher and projected savings of R$36.1 million for January through July 2024 if officials had flown on airlines.
• Auditors found missing records, frequent gaps in passenger identification, and weak verification that the flights met legal criteria, prompting orders for objective eligibility rules, full passenger ID, seat‑sharing practices and a new electronic system to track requests and approvals.