Faced with the crisis of coronavirus Airports Council International – Américh Latin and Caribbean (ACI-LAC) they also askén support for governments.
Remembering that the industryérea are not just airídenies, there are many actors involved starting from the airports and all the related services that allow this business to function, ante is the present ACI-LAC panoramaó a declaration urging governments to also supportén to airports, which I detail belowón:
The COVID-19 pandemic isá affecting the entire aviation sectorón and the governments of the regionón of Américh Latin and the Caribbean isán taking unprecedented measures to control the spreadón del virus. As a consequence of the severe travel restrictions the tráI'm theéreo is prápractically zero in the grand majoríof the region's airportsón, negatively affecting all revenues in the aviation ecosystem.ón and the financial sustainability of the industry and its partners.
The 17 of March, ACI-LAC instó to the governments of Américh Latin and Caribbean, a implement economic relief measuresómonkey, financial and tax for airports and all stakeholders in the aviation industryón under the key principle that no measure shouldíto benefit one actor at the expense of another.
Airports depend on revenue from airline fees.ílines and passengers, además of commercial activities that play a key role in closing the gap between airport costs and aero revenuesáuticos.
Además of the need to maintain operational capabilities mínimas, airport operators and other service providers at airports (restaurants, Free Shops and other types of stores) spaghettién dutyán be in a position to restore full operations when travel restrictions are lifted and traffic is restoredáI'm theéreo. Related service providers, along with his staff, They are as important as Aerosolsíneas and its staff in delivering connectivity toérea.
In consecuense, ACI-LAC and ASUTIL urge the governments of Américh Latin and the Caribbean to adopt balanced and non-discriminatory support measures aimed at safeguarding the operational and commercial continuity of airports, and preserve the ability to recoverón econóand financial status of the same 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 recoveryón of the economyíin general.
The airports actúas engines of economic growthómico and local and regional employment. In fact, many of them are the source of employment más great of his región y/o país. This means that your own positionón and capabilities directly support that of their communities.
In particular, urge governments to consider the following:
- exemptionón of guaranteed concession paymentsón for airports: where appropriate, Governments urged to make concession payment conditions more flexibleón that companies must pay for the operationón of airports. Concession paymentsón can represent a significant cost to airport operators.
- Delay investment requirementsón in infrastructure: 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 areán experiencing unprecedented operational circumstances that exert pressureón improper 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, así 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 repayments and access toícr neasédito with subsidized interest
- Suspensionóno deferral of social security contributions, así such 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 taxesñO 2020 to local government for airport retailers.
The aviation industryón and its associated businesses is highly interdependent and any relief measures must be considered on a non-discriminatory basis, sin que ningúno sector benefits at the expense of another. We believe that States now have a key role to playñar to ensure the sustainability of the entire aviation systemón.
