The Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) will hold its first in-person conference of 2024 in Bogotá, Colombia, from March 12 to 14. This is the ALTA Fuel & Sustainability Conference, an event that brings together leaders of the aviation industry, experts in Fuel and Sustainability of airlines, as well as authorities from the region to discuss the progress and challenges regarding two key topics of the operation. air: jet fuel and the commitment to sustainability in air transport.
Aviation fuel is one of the most important inputs for the airline industry, representing close to 40% of airline operating costs and having a direct impact on the price of air tickets. Although most Latin American countries are producers, jet fuel is more expensive in this region if we compare it with the global average price and, as a reference, in the United States this input represents 24% of costs. airline operations. This is a key opportunity area to generate greater competitiveness and efficiencies in air transport that result in better conditions for users.
José Ricardo Botelho, Executive Director and CEO of ALTA, explains that “although the potential of the regional market is very great, the costs of conventional fuel affect to a certain extent the viability of the business and reduce the competitiveness of aviation as an essential means of transportation. for the population. ALTA seeks to centralize the discussions of the industry and authorities in the region to achieve greater predictability, transparency and accessibility to fuel.”
In another aspect, the conference will discuss initiatives that will allow the industry to advance its sustainability goals. “One of the most talked about initiatives is the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). However, it is important to note that there is not a drop of SAF available in the region yet and there probably won't be for 10 years. Advancing environmental goals must have a comprehensive and viable approach, since the measures cannot generate disproportionate mandates or costs for users,” says Botelho.
“Regionally we face a great challenge which is to achieve the energy transition without limiting access to an essential service, since in many cases there are no transportation alternatives to access remote places. In this process, the region cannot be compared with other regions or airlines in the world,” emphasizes the CEO of ALTA.
So what can you do? This is the central question that will be addressed at the ALTA Fuel & Sustainability Conference.
The conference will feature:
Panel discussions with industry experts;
Presentations of success stories of companies that are leading the transition towards a more sustainable future;
Opportunities to network with other professionals in the sector;
This event is a unique opportunity for actors in the Latin American and Caribbean aviation industry to unite and advance in the search for a more sustainable future.