International Air Transport Association Spotlights Sustainable Regional Travel

Saturday, April 13, 2024

The 14th edition of the Wings of Change Americas Conference (WOCA) by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) was a success, bringing together over 400 representatives from the aviation community across the Americas. Held in Santiago, Chile on April 10 and 11 under the theme “Advancing Aviation for a Competitive and Sustainable Future,” the two-day event facilitated meaningful discussions and collaborations aimed at shaping the region’s air transport outlook.

A notable aspect of this conference was the participation of 16 tourism ministers from the Americas, highlighting the crucial link between tourism and aviation. Peter Cerdá, IATA’s Regional Vice President for the Americas, emphasized in his opening speech that over 90% of foreign tourists in Latin America and the Caribbean arrive by air, underscoring the need for collaborative efforts between governments and airlines to boost the region’s socio-economic impact.

Cerdá also mentioned the recovery of air traffic to pre-pandemic levels and the growing connectivity within and beyond the region. Despite these positive trends, profitability for regional airlines remains a challenge. Cerdá outlined key areas where governments and the industry should collaborate:

1. Lowering taxes, charges, and fees: Creating a fair fee structure benefits both airlines and passengers, fostering sustainable growth.
2. Harmonizing regulations: Aligning regulations with global standards ensures efficiency and fairness, promoting a level playing field for airlines.
3. Infrastructure adequacy: Investments in airport and air traffic management infrastructure must align with future growth and passenger needs.
4. Sustainability: Governments and the private sector should work on supportive policies for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and invest in innovations to achieve net-zero CO2 emissions.

During the conference, Chile launched its SAF development roadmap under the “Vuelo Limpio” program, aiming for 50% SAF usage by 2050 through a public-private partnership.

One of the panels focused on attracting talent to the aviation industry, with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion. Chile’s Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) joined IATA’s 25by2025 initiative to enhance diversity and inclusion in aviation.

Additionally, the event delved into topics like Modern Airline Retailing, Regulatory landscape, and Sustainability, offering three parallel tracks for the first time in the conference’s history.

“The key takeaway from the conference is very clear: collaboration. By working together we can overcome challenges, drive innovation, and create a more resilient and sustainable aviation value chain across the Americas”, said Cerdá.

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