The International Air Transport Association (IATA) requested the Governments of Latin America and the Caribbean who sit down to discuss with the aviation sector the steps to reactivate aviation and warned that 4.1 million jobs and US $ 98 billion are at stake.
IATA Vice President for the American Continent, Peter Cerdá, stated that the diversity of measures that the countries of the region are adopting, and the different speeds with which they are undertaking the reactivation of the sector, “make economic recovery more difficult” .
According to Cerdá, while there are governments that keep borders closed, others are slowly beginning to lift restrictions.
“The concern is that many of the countries with the highest restrictions seem to have mixed messages about reopening,” Cerdá said.
“We understand that the priority is health and that five of the ten countries most affected at the moment by the pandemic are in our region. But we need governments to dialogue with the sector to define a clear path for the reactivation of operations”, added the IATA executive.
The international organization foresees that the total recovery of international traffic in the region will only occur in 2024, while that of domestic traffic will occur a year earlier, in 2023 and that this year the decrease in the number of passengers will be 55%. .
“More than 4.1 million jobs and US $ 98 billion of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that supports aviation, including tourism, are at risk,” he explained.
By country, Cerdá said that in Argentina “there is still uncertainty” about the restart date for regular operations in the sector, which in principle should take place on September 1.
“Recent comments from the government point to a possible delay in the restart date,” Cerdá said, adding that IATA is having “a positive dialogue” with the Argentine authorities and that it hopes to confirm the reactivation date in the coming days.
Cerdá also applauded the Argentine authorities’ proposal to promote domestic tourism by reimbursing 50% of tourism-related expenses.
In Colombia “we have experienced a week of confusion,” Cerdá said. But he added that IATA trusts that the country’s authorities will imminently formalize the restart of domestic flights with the authorization of the return of operations of 15 airports in the country.
“We continue working with the government to restart international flights in the short term,” he added.
Cerdá also described the situation in Peru as confusing after this week the Minister of Transport declared that “international flights will not be allowed until 2021.”
“We have requested an urgent clarification. But closing the borders for a year will not allow the socio-economic recovery of the country. Tomorrow the sector will meet with the Minister of Transportation to discuss the situation,” Cerdá revealed.
IATA considered the situation in Paraguay positive, where although air operations are not allowed, the country has prepared financial assistance measures for airlines with exemption from payment of traffic control, operations, parking and ground assistance charges.
With regard to Panama, Cerdá approved the resumption of air services, albeit on a limited basis, and the authorization for the Tocumen airport to be used for connections between flights. But he warned that it will take time for the country to play its role as the connecting point between North and South America again.
Cerdá stressed that Costa Rica has expanded the number of nations from which you can travel to the Central American country, including specific states in the United States.
The IATA also considered positive the changes on quarantine in Ecuador where now, the confirmation of a negative result in the PCR tests carried out on arrival in the country avoids the need to stay in isolation for two weeks.
The executive of the airline organization concluded by pointing out that the sector cannot survive without operations for another five months and that what airlines need in the region are “Governments that want to work with the sector so that aviation can play its role in rebuilding the economy”.
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