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The General Directorate of Civil Aviation published the resolution that approves the AOC issued by other aeronautical authorities to facilitate the process of certification of new airlines.
The Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (HIGH), organization that represents 184 airline sector companies, celebrates the recent decision of the Republic of Ecuador and its General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) to adopt mutual recognition of Air Operator Certificates (AOCs) for airlines from countries in the region whose regulatory processes comply with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (OACI).
Ecuador approves AOC from other countries
This important advance was issued under Resolution No.. 003/2025, that introduces modifications to the 'Regulation of Operating Permits for the Provision of Commercial Air Transport Services'. In particular, The resolution establishes that the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) of Ecuador will approve within a maximum period of 1 month Air Operator Certificates (AOCs) issued by other aeronautical authorities, as long as these comply with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (OACI). This measure reduces the duplication of procedures, facilitates the entry of new airlines and improves the operational efficiency of the sector, aligning with international best practices.
What does this mean? An airline for example, Chile, wants to open a subsidiary in Ecuador, With this resolution, your entry into the country is facilitated by approving your AOC already granted by the other authority., thus considerably reducing certification times that can range from 6 months to 2 years, or even more.
"At the moment, International air transport in Latin America and the Caribbean faces regulatory barriers that limit its expansion. One of the main challenges lies in the requirement that foreign airlines complete local AOC processes, despite the fact that all countries in the region are governed by the standards established by the ICAO. These regulatory redundances increase bureaucracy and operating costs, hindering competitiveness and sector development. Instead, “Ecuador takes a step forward with this model of mutual recognition of Air Operation Certificates”, highlights José Ricardo Botelho, CEO of ALTA.
This new approach simplifies procedures for airlines, reducing administrative costs and speeding up certification times. While in some countries the certification processes can extend for several months, Ecuador has established a maximum period of 1 month for the approval of AOCs, facilitating route expansion and new operations, Emphasizes Botelho.
The importance of aviation for Ecuador
According to data from HIGH, aviation in Ecuador generates more than 330.000 jobs and contributes more than 4.600 million USD annually to the national economy, considering direct effects, indirect, induced and catalytic. These figures reflect the strategic importance of the sector for economic development, employment generation and connectivity of the country.
Although the details and details of this resolution and its application to practical life are still not well known., Everything indicates that it will be an important step to attract new airlines to operate in our market, although only time will tell, as has also been other government initiatives such as Open skies.
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