✈️ Exclusive Benefits for Readers
Verified codes to save on your next trip.
Faced with the crisis of coronavirus Airports Council International – Latin America and the Caribbean (ACI-LAC) They also ask governments for support..
Remembering that the airline industry is not just airlines, there are many actors involved starting from the airports and all the related services that allow this business to function, Faced with this scenario, ACI-LAC presented a declaration urging governments to also support airports, which I detail below:
The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the entire aviation sector and governments in the Latin American and Caribbean region are taking unprecedented measures to control the spread of the virus. As a consequence of the severe travel restrictions, air traffic is practically non-existent in the vast majority of the region's airports., negatively affecting all revenues of the aviation ecosystem and the financial sustainability of the industry and its partners.
The 17 of March, ACI-LAC urged the governments of Latin America and the Caribbean, a implement economic relief measures, financial and tax for airports and all aviation industry stakeholders under the key principle that no measure should benefit one actor at the expense of another.
Airports rely on revenue from airline and passenger fees, in addition to commercial activities that play a key role in bridging the gap between airport costs and aeronautical revenues.
In addition to the need to maintain minimum operational capabilities, airport operators and other service providers at airports (restaurants, Free Shops and other types of stores) they must also be able to restore full operations when travel restrictions are lifted and air traffic is restored. Related service providers, along with his staff, are as important as the airlines and their staff in delivering air connectivity.
In consecuense, ACI-LAC and ASUTIL urge the governments of Latin America and the Caribbean to adopt balanced and non-discriminatory support measures aimed at safeguarding the operational and commercial continuity of airports, and preserve their economic and financial recovery capacity and that of their associated businesses such as restaurants, Free Shop, etc. to allow them to return to normal operations as soon as possible and support the recovery of the economy in general.
Airports act as engines of local and regional economic growth and employment. In fact, many of them are the largest source of employment in their region and/or country. This means that their own position and capacities directly support that of their communities..
In particular, urge governments to consider the following:
- Waiver of Guaranteed Airport Concession Payments: where appropriate, Governments are urged to make the conditions of concession payments that companies must pay for the operation of airports more flexible. Concession payments can represent a significant cost for airport operators.
- Delay infrastructure investment requirements: provide temporary relief on the infrastructure development requirement, particularly to meet the level of service obligations or projects that are not immediately required by the industry.
- Temporary relief from compliance with quality of service obligations: airports are experiencing unprecedented operating circumstances that put undue pressure on operators. In consecuense, regulators should relax quality of service obligations until operations return to normal.
- Financial measures for short-term reductions in the operating costs of airport operators, as well as other service providers at airports (such as Duty Free and retail stores) to address liquidity risk and ensure operational and business continuity; This should include postponing the payment of bank amortizations and access to credit lines with subsidized interest
- Suspension or deferral of social security contributions, as well as corporate and other taxes (including VAT, excise duties) for at least 6 months for airport operators and associated businesses, and other service providers operating at airports.
- Flexibility of payment of taxes for the year 2020 to local government for airport retailers.
The aviation industry and its associated businesses are highly interdependent and any relief measures must be considered on a non-discriminatory basis., without any sector benefiting at the expense of another. We believe that States now have a key role to play in ensuring the sustainability of the entire aviation system..
✈️ Exclusive Benefits for Readers
Search here for hotels ALL over the world at the best price.
