ACI Calls for Unity in Aviation Following IATA’s Statements

During its Global Media Days 2022, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) explained that a global increase of US$2.3 billion dollars in airport charges and air navigation services has raised new barriers in the industry, slowing the recovery of air transport and international connectivity. The Airports Council International (ACI) later answered that IATA’s analysis of expenditures was skewed in the benefit of airlines, arguing that airports have also suffered from an excess in costs mixed with an insufficiency in revenue since 2020. 

“By its nature aviation relies on collaboration. All parts of the ecosystem, airports, airlines, ground handlers and other stakeholders, must work together for the benefit of passengers and the communities we serve. Attacking industry partners does not reflect the collaborative spirit the industry needs for the common goal of providing safe, reliable and efficient air transport. Like airlines and other areas of this ecosystem, airports are businesses too and affected by cost rises in the industry outside of their control. It is a reality we are all facing, high costs of energy, inflation and staff shortages,” said Luis Felipe de Oliveira, ACI, World Director via a press release. 

Airports suffered a significant drop in revenue during 2020-2021, a 49 percent drop with an increase in costs that far exceeds current revenues, said de Oliveira. The economic headwinds and global passenger traffic loss of 33.1 percent in 2022 cannot be sustained by airports alone, he argued. 

“It is important to remember that airports are infrastructure-intensive businesses, meaning they have unavoidable high fixed costs. What is more, significant investment will be needed going forward to meet demand and transition to sustainable energy sources. Airlines have been able to increase their tariffs during the last year, which is different from the airports that need to follow regulatory frameworks. In the end, aviation is one ecosystem. We must focus on the benefits to passengers and communities. And for this all parts of the ecosystem need to be healthy,” concluded de Oliveira. 

Mexico has one of the highest Airport Usage Fees in Latin America, as the country ranks 11th on the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association’s (ALTA) most recent Air Transport Competitiveness Index. Mexico has the highest parking fees in the region by a wide margin, as reported by MBN.