The Brazilian Airlines Association (ABEAR), the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA), the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Board of Representatives of International Airlines of Brazil (JURCAIB) publicly express great concern about the possibility of the Federal Government reestablishing daylight saving time in a timely manner and without sufficient time to consider the operational and logistical issues of air transport, which could have substantial impacts on engers and compromise the country's connectivity.
The sudden introduction of daylight saving time will cause Brazilian airlines to change schedules in Brazilian and international cities that do not adhere to the new legal time in Brasília. This will change the departure/arrival times of flights, which may result in customers missing boarding due to late arrival and possible loss of connectivity. International airlines will need to change the schedules of their flights in Brazil, suffering the same disruption mentioned above. These adjustments will generate the need to reschedule flights, arrange last-minute accommodations and change engers' travel plans. Other direct impacts will affect crew rosters, slot availability and airport capacity, especially those with restrictions and shortages in the allocation of new schedules.
Therefore, prior knowledge of the start and end dates of daylight saving time is essential for the planning of more than 40 national and international airlines operating in Brazil. In this sense, airlines need a minimum period of 180 days between the decree establishing daylight saving time and the actual start of the time change.
The lack of prior communication so that airlines can adjust flight and connection schedules, which have been carefully defined and already on the market since the beginning of the year, can result in major disruptions to society, especially during the summer season and end-of-year festivities.
The associations request that the Federal Government consider the needs of the air transport industry in any decision regarding the return of daylight saving time, considering the aforementioned consequences and, to this end, they are available to collaborate in any way necessary. The air sector remains committed to ing Brazil's economic growth and connectivity.
Read also
- SITA announces essential protection for aviation network communications
- New cargo terminal opens at Florianópolis International Airport
- Azul will have two new flights to Uruguay during the summer season
Street: ABEAR
