Colombia celebrates the second edition of ALTA Fuel & Sustainability Conference, an event organized by the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA) that brings together more than 200 experts, aviation industry leaders and government authorities to discuss the challenges and opportunities related to the production, distribution and use of conventional and sustainability in aviation in the region.
During his opening speech, José Ricardo Botelho, Executive Director and CEO of ALTA, said that the aviation sector is one of the main drivers of the economy in Latin America and the Caribbean: “it represents 8% of regional GDP and generates 17 million jobs. Aviation has a profound social impact and, therefore, must be considered an essential sector on state agendas to work collaboratively to promote it in a safe, efficient, sustainable and lasting way. Aviation is a fundamental gateway to our countries and the safest and most efficient means of transport for the population.”
Botelho highlighted the historic record reached by the aviation sector in the region in 2023, with 451,6 million engers flying in the region, an increase of 13,3% compared to 2022. “Aviation cannot be seen as a luxury, but as an ally of development. Nor should it be the target of unrelated taxes, disproportionate costs, inefficient regulations that impede its development,” he emphasized.
At the beginning of the year, enger traffic also showed good signs, although there is still a lot of work to be done. In January 2024, Colombia recorded a 30% growth in international air traffic compared to January 2023, which translates into 1,9 million additional engers.
However, on the domestic side, a 2% increase was observed compared to 2023, reaching a total of 2,8 million engers, indicating a slight slowdown compared to the previous month, when 4% growth was recorded.
During the conference, a video was shown that highlighted the positive impact of aviation in Colombia. Between 2002 and 2023, there was a notable change in the travel habits of Colombians. In 2002, around 92% of the 107,7 million engers who traveled within the country chose land transport by bus, while only 8% chose air transport. However, by 2023, these statistics have changed considerably: of the 142 million engers, 79% chose to travel by plane.
Advances in the accessibility of air transport are also reflected in changes in the cost of tickets. Between 2012 and 2022, this cost decreased by approximately 19%, from 45% to 37% of the minimum wage, making it easier for more Colombians to access air travel. Despite the tax burden associated with each ticket, air travel remains an attractive option due to its efficiency and speed: Colombians can reach their destination 15 to 20 times faster than by bus.
The opening ceremony of the conference was attended by Lina Hauri, Deputy Director of Transport for Colombia, who reiterated the ministry's for the sector: “We are not going to wait for the future, we need to develop all the necessary technologies now, because the world is already demanding it. You have a very big challenge and you have the of the Colombian Ministry of Transport”.
“Transformation is in action. Doing means making progress on the roap in the short and medium term. What is better than debate to build change and envision the medium term, looking at public policy and regulation?”, said Dr. Sergio Paris, General Director of Aerocivil in his speech.
The future of SAF is now
Pedro de la Fuente, IATA External Relations and Sustainability Manager, moderated the 'The Future of SAF is Now. “Today, SAF represents 5% of global demand. We need to significantly multiply this production to reach the goals. We are at an existential stage for humanity where transition has to happen,” he stated.
On the , Liliana Tovar, Vice President of Aviation and Marine at Terpel SA, shared three key points for the advancement of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). They are: technical and raw material feasibility, global regulations (as this is a highly regulated sector) and available infrastructure.
According to Carolina Betancourt, Biofuels Manager at BioD, every week a new AFS project is announced around the world. “We hope that there is at least one plant under construction, understanding that sustainability is the most important thing and that we cannot lose focus, it is an exercise in resilience. If we have already done this with biodiesel and ethanol, we can do it with SAF”.
Randy Letang, president and CEO of SGP BioEnergy, provided critical insight. “The concept of sustainability from day one has been a paradox, a path to frustration. It makes more sense to assess where we are today, where we will focus, what the numbers look like, and then bring the knowledge to bear on a future goal. Constant evaluation is essential.”
On the other hand, Luis Osegueda, Aviation Sales Manager at Chevron, proposes more actions: “In 2025, when we meet again, I would like us to see clearer rules of the game, incentives that are not defined to promote investment. You cannot start building a factory if there is no certainty, no clarity in the rules of the game.”
The event, which takes place until Thursday, 14th, at the Hilton Corferias Hotel, has a complete agenda that includes discussion s, updates on the aviation fuel market, airport infrastructure, carbon offsetting, among other topics relevant to the sector .
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