UN participates in study to increase airport efficiency in Brazil

A partnership between the Ministry of Economy and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) resulted in a study with proposals for a more efficient and agile management of the scheduling of takeoffs and landings, indicating a better aircraft flow system in the airports. The project aimed to study the regulations in force in Brazil and in other countries, as well as the available literature, and indicate flaws, in addition to proposing regulatory solutions that seek to maximize the well-being of passengers. “This study provides the basis for the Ministry of Economy, together with ANAC, to make decisions and propose important changes that can translate into more flights, cheaper tickets and more efficient airports, which ultimately translate into more economic growth”, explained the coordinator of the UNDP’s Inclusive Socioeconomic Development Unit in Brazil, Cristiano Prado. The objective of the partnership is to make life easier for those traveling by plane in Brazil through a more efficient and agile management of airport slots. Airport Slot is the arrival or departure time of an aircraft at an airport with some level of runway or terminal congestion. It’s like a reserved time in a busy schedule. Traditionally, the international practice of slot allocation has followed rules based on historical usage. Thus, airlines with more frequent arrivals and departures keep more space blocked in the airports’ agenda. This practice follows recommendations from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), but in Brazil, the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) explains, in a technical note, that airlines have an incentive to retain slots, even if they are not being used in their fullness, “in order to prevent entry and expansion by competitors”. The agency goes further by stating that “underutilization can also occur through the use of a high proportion of small aircraft, limiting the number of passengers that can be carried within the restricted capacity of the airport”. Another distortion of this model, experts point out, may be the excessive use for passengers connecting from an already saturated airport. Regulatory difficulties are not unique to Brazil. Internationally, efforts have been made to overcome the problems. To face the challenges of the current regulation, the Secretariat for Infrastructure Development, an organ of the Special Secretariat for Productivity, Employment, and Competitiveness of the Ministry of Economy, articulated with ANAC in order to improve the regulatory framework. “As a result of the studies, we came up with a proposal to regulate airport slots that will allow new airlines to enter super-congested airports, such as Congonhas. This is a fundamental condition for a competitor to be able to compete in the Brazilian market and fits into a broader agenda of attracting more companies to the sector”, says the Secretary of Infrastructure Development, of the Special Secretariat for Productivity, Employment, and Competitiveness, of the Ministry of Economics, Edson Silveira Sobrinho. – https://aeroin.net/onu-participa-de-estudo-para-aumentar-eficiencia-de-aeroportos-no-brasil/