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In an audience with the Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho, held on Tuesday morning (8), Senator Alan Rick (União-AC) reinforced the urgent need to regulate the allowance to reduce the price of airline tickets in the Legal Amazon. The proposal has already been approved by Congress and sanctioned as part of the new general tourism law in September 2023.
Senator Alan Rick charges regulation of cheaper airline ticket subsidy in the legal Amazon. Photo: Contilnet
The mechanism allows the use of resources from the National Civil Aviation Fund (FNAC) to subsidize the price of aviation kerosene (QAV) – which represents up to 60% of the cost of tickets in the northern region, compared to 36% in the national average. According to the senator, the liter of QAV in Acre reaches $ 7.82, while in Pernambuco, the minister’s state of origin, costs $ 4.11 – a difference of 84%.
“It is not possible for Brazilians in the Amazon to continue paying the most expensive passages in the country. We already have the law, the source of resources and a draft regulation built in partnership with Anac, listening to airlines, consumers and experts. Now it’s time to act,” said Alan Rick.
The senator also argued that the allowance is only granted to airlines that effectively pass the discount to the final consumer. “We cannot repeat past mistakes when we reduce taxes and we have not seen reflections on tariffs. The benefit has to reach the tip, people.”
Air Cabotage and South American Integration
In addition to the QAV allowance, Alan Rick defended the advance of Bill 4,392/2023, of his own, which deals with the so -called “eighth freedom of air”, allowing foreign airlines, when operating international flights to Brazil, can perform domestic stretches. The proposal, already approved in the Senate, is in the House of Representatives and was attached to PL 1007/2024.
“The measure will expand competition, reduce prices and improve connectivity in regions with lower flight supply, such as the Legal Amazon,” he explained.
Transoceanic railway and logistics integration
Finally, the senator again defended the resumption of the debate on the transoceanic railroad Brazil-Peru-China, which would connect the port of Açu (RJ) to the Pacific Ocean, passing through Rondônia and Acre, to Boqueirão da Esperança, in Cruzeiro do Sul (AC), with access to the port of Chancay, Peru.
“China has invested more than $ 3.6 billion in the port of Chancay, which can reduce by 20 days the transportation time of Brazilian exports to the Asian market. We have a historic opportunity to lead this debate with Mercosur countries and transform the logistics of the continent,” he said.
Minister confirms advancement of regulation
In response, Minister Silvio Costa Filho recognized the high cost of tickets in the Northern Region and reported that MPOR is already acting in regulation through FNAC (National Civil Aviation Fund). Importing the proposal of the Acre Senator, the minister confirmed that the benefited airlines will be required to pass the discount to the consumer.
“What we expect is just that: to produce good regulation. So we have created a committee, about 15 days ago, that is dealing with the theme. Companies will have credit, but also the obligation to pass the benefit. You can not arrive at the supermarket and see the same price. With this model, we hope that the liter of QAV is no longer $ 7.00 and will be $ 4.50,” said Silvio Costa.
