avianca SVP: 'We still have very high taxes and charges on our connectivity' in Latin America

avianca SVP of corporate affairs Ángela Orozco, speaking at the CAPA Airline Leader Summit Latin America & Caribbean, stated (10-Sep-2026) one of the toughest regional challenges facing airlines operating in Latin America and the Caribbean is that "We have still very high taxes and charges on our connectivity". Ms Orozco cited an ALTA study from 2023 that found "Latin America and the Caribbean has the highest tax and charge burdens on tickets" of any region worldwide, noting: "It's around USD44 per ticket. On average, it's like 29% of the ticket fare. In Colombia, it's 38% of the ticket fare, and that's charged to the passengers". She said part of the problem is the lingering perception by some governments and the general public that aviation "is a rich industry... that there's only high-value customers, that still air transportation is for rich people... that we can afford the tax", when in actuality "air transportation is not a luxury in our countries". She continued: "[Air travel] is really public transportation in countries such as Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, really is a critical service for our societies... a critical service for the common people", given flying is often the only way to travel between destinations separated by dense jungle or mountain ranges, and the lack of rail infrastructure within and between Latin American countries. [more - CAPA TV]