ALTA sends a message of confidence to the industry
By José Ricardo Botelho
We are going through a situation that has significantly impacted the behavior of passengers. An X-ray of this thesis is shown in the surveys carried out by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in 11 markets: In February 2020 almost 100% of passengers were willing to travel, in April 61%, in June the 45%.
However, at this time we know that with the protocols established by the ICAO Council for Aviation Recovery (CART), the probability of infection in flight is 1 in 4300. According to IATA studies, the air in an airplane cabin is eight times better than that of a supermarket.
All these data show us how safe it is to travel by plane when the necessary hygiene and safety measures are respected. In fact, we can currently ensure that the industry is prepared to operate under the strictest health and safety protocols, protecting passengers, employees and citizens while providing a fundamental service for global economies.
And although in July, passenger traffic in Latin America and the Caribbean decreased 87.6% compared to the previous year, it is important to mention that by July some markets in the region continued with restrictions for international commercial flights. However and fortunately, the region has gradually reopened its borders, which will mark the beginning of the recovery of the industry.
For this reason, restoring public confidence in air travel not only helps the viability of this sector that has been in detention for more than five months, but also has even broader benefits in the social and economic sphere of the countries.
The concern of passengers is understandable, so all industry players and the government must work together to restore confidence, especially at a time as conjunctural as the one our countries are experiencing, which must be faced in the best way possible with changes that lead to a gradual reactivation of the economy.
In this sense, in the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) on behalf of the airline industry, we believe that only through example will we be able to generate confidence in passengers and restart the sector that, without a doubt, is one of the safest. It is time to resume operations with biosafety protocols and also to live with this new reality.
Within this framework, ALTA will hold its Technical Purchasing and Maintenance Conference (CCMA & MRO) from December 6 to 8, 2020, in Riviera Maya, Mexico, a conference that brings together important executives from airlines and suppliers.
Since, the association has presented this activity as the main annual maintenance and technical purchasing conference to develop effective solutions that maximize the economic and social footprint of aviation in the region.
Therefore, I invite you to join us as an industry and participate in this great event that seeks to demonstrate that we can travel safely and that we trust biosecurity protocols, not only those established by the airline industry but also by all actors in the chain. of tourism.
In addition to these objectives, the conference promotes the development of aviation in the region through the exchange of experiences and good practices, and physical meetings that allow a more pleasant relationship in terms of negotiations between the purchasing and maintenance areas of the airlines and suppliers. This conference favors the meeting of suppliers and airlines in the same place, seeking efficiencies at times when it is vital to preserve liquidity for survival.
It is important to reiterate that air transport is the safest, first from operational safety and currently from biosecurity. In addition, the tourism chain has made significant efforts to establish adequate protocols to mitigate the risks of infection. Some destinations in Latin America such as Cancun and Riviera Maya have biosafety seals at their destination, granted by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), as well as the event will have biosecurity measures to guarantee the health of the participants.
It is time to take off … We are waiting for you at the ALTA CCMA & MRO 2020 with all the health protocols for your comfort and safety!
José Ricardo Botelho, is Executive Director and CEO of the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA). A Law Graduate from the Catholic University of Salvador and with post-graduate studies at the Jorge Amado University and the National Police Academy of Brazil, he previously held other important positions as President of the National Aviation Agency and as Alternate Diplomatic Delegate of that same country, before the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).