Buenos Aires, Argentina (November 20, 2017) - The Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association (ALTA), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), and Airports Council International - Latin America and the Caribbean (ACI-LAC) signed a joint Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during today's Airline Leaders Forum focused on improving air transport in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The MoU was signed by Luis Felipe de Oliveira, ALTA's Executive Director; Peter Cerda, IATA's Regional Vice President for the Americas; and Martin Eurnekian, ACI-LAC's President and focuses on cooperation to improve and advance air transport across Latin America and the Caribbean, including:
Improving aviation safety to achieve safety targets established by the Regional Aviation Safety Group - Pan America (RASG-PA
Implementing cost-effective security and facilitation measures, including new technologies designed to simplify business procedures and transactional processe
Enhancing airport infrastructure and air traffic management initiatives for safe, efficient and sustainable operation
Collaborating and sharing best practices on fuel supply and storage
Placing aviation on government agendas to highlight the value aviation generates as an engine of economic and social developmen
Raising awareness of the importance of a transparent process that results in a more harmonized regulatory framewor
Evolving the airport concessions framework in the region in order to guarantee the economic viability of the aviation Industry
"This game-changing agreement, focused on cooperation between airports and airlines on safety, cost transparency, infrastructure and concessions, will benefit the entire aviation industry, airports, passengers, and economies of communities throughout the region," said ALTA's Executive Director Luis Felipe de Oliveira.

"Air passengers are expected to more than double in Latin America and the Caribbean by 2035. It is vital that we are prepared so the region can meet this demand. This agreement will help ensure that air transport has room to grow within a framework that prioritizes safety, sustainability and efficiency, all of which will benefit Latin America and the Caribbean," said IATA's Regional Vice President for the Americas, Peter Cerda.

"The airport community reiterates, through the signing of this agreement, our permanent commitment to look for opportunities of collaboration among key aviation industry players. The challenges imposed by the projected passengers and cargo traffic growth in the region within the next 20 years demand a genuine effort from airlines and airports to guarantee a safe and sustainable development of the air transport system in the region," added Martin Eurnekian, President of ACI-LAC.