The President of the Republic, Jair Bolsonaro (PL), vetoed the free dispatch of luggage on national and international flights departing Brazil. The General Secretariat of the Presidency anticipated the decision, which will be published in the Official Gazette (DOU) this Wednesday (15), amid the sanction of the Bill that came from the MP do Voo Simples.
According to the Planalto Palace, Bolsonaro vetoed the device after hearing the ministries responsible for air traffic in Brazil “out of public interest”.
“In practice, the proposal would increase the costs of air services and the regulatory risk, which would reduce the attractiveness of the Brazilian market to potential new competitors and would contribute to raising the prices of air tickets. In summary, the rule would have the opposite effect to that desired by the legislator”, commented the Ministry of Infrastructure, by means of a note.
The ministry also states that the gratuity could raise questions about the international treaties to which Brazil is a signatory, in addition to alleging a possible damage to the competitiveness of regional aviation, for operating with small aircraft and cargo capacity.
The device that provided for the free dispatch of luggage weighing up to 23 kilos on domestic flights, and 30 kilos on international trips, was approved by the National Congress in May this year, in an amendment made to the text of the Provisional Measure sent by the Planalto.
Authorization for the collection of checked bags was made official in 2017. The airlines claimed, at the time, that this would reduce the value of the tickets. Currently, passengers can take up to 10 kilos of luggage in the cabin without paying an additional fee. Heavier bags are usually charged separately from the ticket price or through a higher fare.
Simple Flight PM
The veto of free luggage was Bolsonaro’s only one amid the sanction of the Conversion Law Project on Simple Flight. According to the Planalto, the objective of the measure is to simplify and update procedures related to the air sector and the work of the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac).
The sanctioned text deals with points such as:
- Changes in values and types of actions that will be subject to fees by the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac);
- End the difference between public air services (scheduled commercial transport) and private services (without remuneration and for the benefit of the operator);
- End of the private and non-delegable nature of Anac’s competence to regulate and grant a certificate of qualification for practitioners of aerosports;
- International airlines wishing to operate in Brazil will be exempt from part of the previously required authorizations;
- The airlines may stop selling, for up to one year, a ticket to a passenger who has practiced an act of indiscipline considered very serious.
As a result, the federal government expects Anac to have greater regulatory control over the creation and termination of airport fees owed by airlines and passengers for the use of the infrastructure.
In addition to these adjustments, the Union is authorized to sign a public-private partnership (PPP) to bid for eight regional airports in Amazonas, namely those in the cities of Parintins, Carauari, Coari, Eirunepé, São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Barcelos, Lábrea and Maués.
The partnership modality will be a sponsored concession, with a percentage of remuneration paid by the public administration above 70%.
Source: CNN Brasil
