国际航空运输协会 (IATA) 警告说，在过去六个月中，被政府阻止的用于遣返的航空公司资金数额增加了 25% 以上（394 亿美元）。 现在被冻结的资金总额接近 2.0 亿美元。 IATA 呼吁各国政府根据国际协议和条约义务，消除航空公司将机票销售和其他活动的收入汇回国内的所有障碍。
IATA is also renewing its calls on Venezuela to settle the $3.8 billion of airline funds that have been blocked from repatriation since 2016 when the last authorization for limited repatriation of funds was allowed by the Venezuelan government.
“阻止航空公司汇回资金似乎是支撑枯竭国库的一种简单方法，但最终当地经济将付出高昂代价。 如果得不到报酬，任何企业都无法维持提供服务，航空公司也不例外。 空中航线是重要的经济催化剂。 实现收入的有效汇回对于任何经济体保持与市场和供应链的全球联系至关重要，”IATA 总干事 Willie Walsh 说。
超过 27 个国家和地区的航空公司资金被禁止汇回。
资金被冻结的前五个市场（不包括委内瑞拉）是：
• Nigeria: $551 million
• Pakistan: $225 million
• Bangladesh: $208 million
• Lebanon: $144 million
• Algeria: $140 million
尼日利亚
在尼日利亚被阻止汇回的航空公司资金总额为 551 亿美元。 汇回问题出现在 2020 年 XNUMX 月，当时该国的外币需求超过供应，该国的银行无法为汇回货币提供服务。
尽管面临这些挑战，尼日利亚当局一直与航空公司接洽，并与业界一起努力寻找释放可用资金的措施。
“Nigeria is an example of how government-industry engagement can resolve blocked funds issues. Working with the Nigerian House of Representatives, Central Bank and the Minister of Aviation resulted in the release of $120 million for repatriation with the promise of a further release at the end of 2022. This encouraging progress demonstrates that, even in difficult circumstances, solutions can be found to clear blocked funds and ensure vital connectivity,” said Kamil Al-Awadhi as Regional Vice President for Africa and the Middle East.
委内瑞拉
Airlines have also restarted efforts to recover the $3.8 billion of unrepatriated airline revenues in Venezuela. There have been no approvals of repatriation of these airline funds since early 2016 and connectivity to Venezuela has dwindled to a handful of airlines selling tickets primarily outside the country. In fact, between 2016 and 2019 (the last normal year before COVID-19) connectivity to/from Venezuela plummeted by 62%. Venezuela is now looking to bolster tourism as part of its COVID-19 economic recovery plan and is seeking airlines to restart or expand air services to/from Venezuela. Success will be much more likely if Venezuela is able to instill confidence in the market by expeditiously settling past debts and providing concrete assurances that airlines will not face any blockages to future repatriation of funds.
