As regional air connectivity challenges continue to affect Latin America and the Caribbean, leaders of the Airports Council International — Latin America and Caribbean (ACI-LAC) are calling for urgent measures to address these critical issues, warning of their potential long-term effects.
These concerns were highlighted during the ACI-LAC Annual Assembly Conference and Exhibition, held on October 6 at the Hyatt Regency Ballroom in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Barbados TODAY learnt Trinidad and Tobago were successful in a bid in 2024 to host the event. The decision was attributed to the country’s strong infrastructure, which was well-suited for the event and the significant interest expressed by stakeholders in visiting the twin-island republic.
Rafael Echevarne, director general of ACI-LAC, expressed his pleasure of the event being hosted in Trinidad and Tobago, noting it was the first time the event was held in the Caribbean, an important milestone in the organisation’s strategic plan.
“[A] few years ago when we sat [and set] the strategy for ACI-LAC, it was to really pay attention to the Caribbean. The event being hosted in Trinidad and Tobago is a testament to that objective.”
President of ACI-LAC Monika Infante was also pleased to be in Trinidad and Tobago for the event, saying there “was lots to be learnt.”
“Every year, we make this conference and it’s a good opportunity to discuss all the challenges that we have in our industry, which are sometimes common to the challenges of the world,” Infante said.
She emphasised that connectivity challenges in the Caribbean were a critical issue to be addressed, alongside other key topics.
“Other challenges we have is concessions… and we want to support these countries and investors in conceptualising the right concessions to incentivise investments in infrastructure that we all need.”
Echevarne said the ACI-LAC has been pushing the liberalisation and deregulation of air transport in the region, as the region is more dependent on air travel than the rest of the world.
“That is absolutely critical for the growth of the industry and the successful positioning of nations in the Caribbean to track tourism, a most important industry,” he said.
Additionally, the ACI-LAC has been paying attention to certifying all aerodromes in Latin America and the Caribbean.
“It is ensuring that all airports are compliant with international standards. We are working very closely with the international civil organisation, which is the one that recommends the standard.”
Echevarne also underscored the importance of technology, citing its limited availability in Trinidad and Tobago as a key example.
“We are also pushing forward the agenda on technology. Many of you commented that there were very long immigration lines when you arrived in Trinidad and Tobago. We encourage the government to go down the path of technology, because it has been proven in other countries in the region, such as Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Aruba and Curacao.”
He added that technology also had the benefit of making the entire system “much safer and secure.”
Barbados TODAY sought to interview the CEO of the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) Hadley Bourne, however, a representative from the Airport Authority of Trinidad and Tobago said he was not present on October 6.
