Undoubtedly, the airline industry is a fundamental part of the economic, social and competitive development Although for many years it was notoriously backward, at least in its airport and aeronautical infrastructure, today, under the leadership of President Iván Duque, Colombia is undergoing a change that is advancing at full speed and that will allow us to move more than 100 million passengers and double the current cargo by 2030.
Colombia has shown a dynamic and sustained growth with an upward trend in recent years.
In order to meet this major challenge, the Civil Aviation Authority has identified six lines of action to be developed between now and 2030: connectivity and competitiveness, infrastructure and environmental sustainability, civil aviation safety and security, aviation industry y supply chainThe aim is to meet all the needs generated by the aviation sector.
Similarly, technological progress and operational improvements must be committed to the environment. In this sense, one of the goals is that 20 % of Colombian airports have international certifications on environmental issues.
The challenges are many: better planning to take advantage of the resources available for airport modernisation and increased competitiveness of the sector with a review of the burdens on airlines. Ultimately, this is a multi-stakeholder effort that needs to be done in a flexible manner because, as in many industries, adapting to change is a way to combat uncertainty.
To meet this need, in 2017 the Colombian government initiated the modernisation of 18 regional airports, helping to make the domestic market the third largest after Brazil and Mexico in terms of international passenger traffic.
In competitiveness, we suggest you develop public policies and strategies to strengthen the productivity factor of air transport and stimulate services for the growth of our civil aviation. In this regard, one of the points to be considered is how to simplify and rationalise the air transport cost scheme associated with the tax burden, parafiscal charges and surcharges, which would undoubtedly result in more alternatives for air connectivity for users and, therefore, in greater economic benefits.
Colombia has shown dynamic and sustained growth with a growing trend in recent years: the air passenger transport market tripled in the period 2005-2017 from 12 million passengers in 2005 to 36 million passengers in 2017, with an average annual growth rate of 8.6 %. Therefore, the historical behaviour of the sector for more than two decades and the expectations of economic growth, allow predicting that in 2030 the passenger market will exceed 100 million.
Juan Carlos Salazar Gómez
Director General of the Colombian Civil Aeronautical Authority (Aeronáutica Civil)
