and the Caribbean : Benchmarking, Regulation, and Pricing
Resource information
This report presents the findings of a
first-ever, comprehensive study of how Latin America and the
Caribbean (LAC) region airports have evolved during a
notable period of transition in airport ownership. It is an
unbiased, positive analysis of what happened, rather than a
normative analysis of what should be done to reform and to
attract private sector participation to the airport sector.
It takes the first step to respond to the need for more
conclusive information about the influence of airport
ownership on economic performance. The report centers on the
study of three dimensions of performance: productive
efficiency, institutional setup for the governance of the
sector, and financing. This multifaceted report uses a range
of advanced quantitative and qualitative methods to assess
the relationship between airport ownership and performance
in the LAC region. After a comprehensive overview, chapters
1 and 2 provide the necessary background for the air
transport sector and the evolution of private sector
participation and investment in airport infrastructure. In
chapter 3, questionnaires submitted to airport operators and
regulators led to the creation of the unique data sets,
which were first used to compare performance across 14
partial performance indicators, and next used to develop
aggregate measures of efficiency necessary for the
benchmarking exercise. In chapter 4, a qualitative study of
the relationship between type of regulating agency
(independent or government-led) and transparency,
accountability, and bureaucracy provides insight into how
recent reforms have also affected the quality of regulatory
governance. Chapter 5 provides an in-depth analysis of the
evolution of tariff structures in the region as compared to
a sample of international airports. Several important topics
were not included in this report but should be the focus of
future research. In particular, the evolution of the quality
of services in airports deserves greater attention, as
airports are increasingly becoming business centers and key
gateways for trade competitiveness. The other main topic
that requires detailed practical research is climate change
and its relationship with the airport sector.
