Mexico's aviation industry shrinks in 2009
Mexico's national air transport chamber (Canaero) has reported that the country's load factor reduced between 10 per cent and 15 per cent in 2009. This has been attributed to the outbreak of the A(N1H1) flu virus, which hit the industry particularly hard in July 2009, the global economic recession and the increased price of aircraft fuel. Canaero has forecast that the industry will stabilise in 2010 before making a recovery in 2011
Increase in limit of foreign ownership of Brazilian airlines
In November 2009, the Brazilian Senate approved a bill that increases the current limit of permitted foreign ownership of Brazilian airlines (set by Article 181 of the Brazilian Aeronautical Code (BAC) 1986) from 20 per cent to 49 per cent. The purpose of the change is to stimulate foreign investment in a sector that has suffered several financial crises in the last decade, whilst still maintaining overall control in Brazilian hands.
The new law could result in a drastic change in the current structure of the airline sector,with foreign airlines buying larger and larger stakes of local airlines
EU and Latin America in aviation talks
The European Union has started talks with Latin America, following the conclusion of initial open skies agreements with the US and Canada. Marking an increase of transported passengers between the regions from 10 million to 20 million in the past decade, the first ever summit between the EU and Latin America was held in May in Rio de Janeiro. Topics discussed included market barriers, airport infrastructure, safety, security, air traffic management and new technologies
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