Green Horizons: Transforming Aviation Sustainability Across Latin America

Latin American carriers have taken a forward-looking approach to sustainability, adopting wide-ranging strategies intended not only to minimise environmental impacts but also to support the communities they operate in and enhance relationships with customers, employees and suppliers. While this has generated substantial environmental and business benefits, it is seen as a cost centre for airlines, requiring purchasing of new aircraft, high-cost sustainable aviation fuel and adding yet more layers of complexity to an already difficult business. Yet, travellers within and to/from Latin America report overwhelmingly that sustainability is important in their travel decisions and influences their spending. This session will examine questions around regional aviation and sustainability, such as

• Given the paucity of government frameworks and regulatory uncertainty, how do regional carriers establish and maintain sustainability programmes? What sort of feedback programmes are there to modify and adapt sustainability programmes?

• While regional travellers overwhelmingly report sustainability is important to them, only a minority have shown willingness to actually purchase sustainable travel options. How do regional carriers incentivise green travel and narrow this say-do gap?

• Is regional aviation better supported by voluntary commitments, or is there room for a regulatory-led approach? If so, should this take the place of mandates, targets or some other measure?