Aviation leaders from across Latin America gathered in Buenos Aires for ALTA Aviation Law Americas, a key event dedicated to exploring the legal challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the region’s aviation industry.
The event, inaugurated by ALTA CEO José Ricardo Botelho, Argentina’s Undersecretary of Air Transport Hernán Gómez, and Julia Cordero, the Administrator of ANAC Argentina, highlighted the enormous growth potential of aviation in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Botelho emphasized the significant contribution of aviation to economic growth, job creation, and tourism. He pointed out that air transport in Argentina directly generates around $8.3 billion and supports approximately 60,000 jobs. When considering indirect and induced effects, commercial aviation contributes more than $22.5 billion and 536,000 jobs.
Cordero, highlighting the importance of a robust regulatory framework, emphasized the ongoing efforts to address regulatory issues and restore Argentina’s aviation sector to Category 1 status.
A panel titled “Roadmap for Regional Integration in Latin America” delved into the potential of treating flights between Latin American countries as domestic, exploring both opportunities and challenges.
Viviana Martin, Global Director of Institutional Relations at Avianca and President of Avianca Costa Rica, stressed the importance of market integration and eliminating regulatory hurdles. Hernán Gómez underscored the need for political reform in Argentina’s aviation sector, particularly through open skies policies to enhance competitiveness.
Ricardo Catanant, Director of ANAC Brazil, advocated for supranational coordination among countries in the region, urging for harmonized regulations to foster smarter and more efficient aviation policies. Paola Plá, Deputy Director General of the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC), expressed support for initiatives from the Latin American Civil Aviation Commission (CLAC) aimed at accelerating air transport liberalization.
Mauricio Sana, CEO of Flybondi, outlined the company’s commitment to improving air traffic between Argentina and Brazil, highlighting the importance of regulatory reforms and removing economic, operational, and labor barriers.
Jaime Binder, Secretary of CLAC, reinforced the critical role of regional integration-focused regulations in advancing Latin American aviation. He asserted that an open skies policy is becoming increasingly feasible in the region.
The event concluded with a consensus on the need for stronger collaboration between governments, regulatory authorities, and the private sector to advance regional integration. Participants agreed that harmonizing regulatory policies would significantly enhance the competitiveness of countries, foster growth in the aviation sector, provide more options and benefits for passengers, and ultimately drive economic development.
