Airfare rises 48.11% in 2023, biggest increase in 12 years

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It is the biggest increase in tickets for a closed year since 2011

Traveling by plane has become more expensive for Brazilians this year. In the year to December 2023, air tickets registered inflation of 48.11% in the Broad National Consumer Price Index 15 (IPCA-15).

It is the biggest increase in tickets for a closed year since 2011 – that is, in 12 years. At the time, the variation had been 53.1%. The IPCA-15 data was released this Thursday (28) by IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics).

Because it is presented before, the indicator signals a trend for prices in the IPCA (Broad National Consumer Price Index), also calculated by IBGE.

The cost of tickets was recorded amid a scenario of resumption of demand for travel this year, following restrictions on travel during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Airlines also complain about the high costs of operating in the country, which involve, for example, expenses with aviation kerosene and interest.

The variation in air tickets in 2023 (48.11%) was the second largest among the 367 sub-items (goods and services) that make up the IPCA-15 calculation.

Only strawberries had a more significant variation in prices (62.42%). Onion, on the other hand, registered the biggest drop in the year (-30.86%).

The level of plane ticket prices worries the Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) government, which is trying to find ways to mitigate costs for consumers.

One of the alternatives studied is the Voa Brasil program, which should be launched at the beginning of next year. The idea is to set a price of R$200 for tickets for specific groups, such as students and retirees.

This month, the three main airlines operating in Brazil (Azul, Gol and Latam) announced a plan to universalize air transport. The objective was to launch cheaper prices for domestic flights.

The announcement involved the availability of 25 million tickets with maximum costs ranging from R$699 to R$799, depending on the company. The prices, however, are close to the average value already charged.

This Thursday, the Minister of Finance, Fernando Haddad, said that the only component of inflation that is worrying the government is airfare. The statement occurred after the release of the IPCA-15.

In December, while the index as a whole rose 0.40%, airfare rose 9.02%. The biggest pressure on the IPCA-15 came from tickets, according to IBGE.

*With information from consultancy

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