Ecuador’s New Aviation Law: What Was Approved and What Could Still Change

Status on September 25, 2026: approved by the National Assembly, but not yet in force.

On September 24, Ecuador’s National Assembly approved the Proyecto de Ley Orgánica de Aviación Civil in second debate with 88 affirmative votes. The Assembly says the approved proposal contains 215 articles organized into eight titles and 36 chapters.

The vote was a major legislative step, but it did not put the bill into effect. The Assembly said the project would be sent to President Daniel Noboa for sanction or objection. The Executive process can therefore affect the text before a final law is published.

This explainer describes the proposal approved by the Assembly. It does not present every proposal as a rule already applying to passengers, airlines, airports or drone operators. Even after a final law is published, technical regulations and administrative procedures—particularly those issued or applied by the Dirección General de Aviación Civil (DGAC)—will determine how many provisions work in practice.

Why replace Ecuador’s aviation framework?

Ecuador’s aviation rules are currently divided principally between the Civil Aviation Law and the Aeronautical Code. The Assembly’s Economic Development Commission said the proposal brings those rules together in one organic law and updates them in response to present-day aviation activity, international standards and observations from International Civil Aviation Organization audits.

The proposal is broader than commercial passenger flights. It addresses aviation institutions, airports, air navigation, aircraft and operators, aviation personnel, operating permits, insurance, accident investigations, drones, enforcement and passenger protections.

1. An open-skies policy

The Assembly-approved proposal incorporates an open-skies policy intended to expand competition and make it easier for new operators, routes and frequencies to enter the Ecuadorian market.

That could create conditions for more connections. It does not guarantee that an airline will open a particular route, serve a regional airport or reduce fares. Airlines will still make commercial decisions based on demand, operating costs, airport conditions and other factors.

2. Greater use of airports and private participation

Supporters of the reform say Ecuador should make better use of existing airport infrastructure, including facilities outside Quito and Guayaquil. The approved framework also contemplates exceptional delegation of airport and aeronautical services through public competitive procedures, under conditions set by the competent authority.

Foreign legal entities domiciled in Ecuador may participate when authorized and subject to the applicable conditions. This is not the same as automatically privatizing every airport. Actual delegation would still require government decisions, procedures, technical studies and specific agreements.

3. A stronger technical role for the DGAC

The proposal eliminates the National Civil Aviation Council and assigns leadership of aviation public policy to the national transport authority. The DGAC remains the technical civil-aviation authority responsible for regulation, administration, control and oversight.

This makes the DGAC central to implementation. The final law may establish the framework, but many practical requirements will depend on regulations, authorizations, registries, inspections and procedures administered by the DGAC.

4. A more independent accident-investigation body

The approved proposal gives the Accident Investigation Board administrative, operational, financial and decision-making autonomy and separates it from the DGAC. The objective is to strengthen the independence of investigations into accidents and serious incidents and to focus those investigations on preventing future occurrences.

5. Drones enter the aviation framework explicitly

The proposal expressly regulates unmanned aircraft. It provides for registration, authorization, control and inspection and for their inclusion in the National Aeronautical Registry. The DGAC would coordinate, within the respective powers of each institution, with the National Police, Armed Forces and Ecuadorian Customs Service.

Drone users should not assume that every detail discussed during the legislative process applies immediately. The final legal text and later DGAC rules will determine the practical requirements for different aircraft and operations.

6. Passenger protections and refunds

The Assembly says the proposal includes rules for suspended or interrupted travel and mechanisms for reimbursement. It also includes a 50 percent fare discount for older adults and people with disabilities.

These passenger protections are separate from open skies. Greater competition is an economic-policy objective; discounts, assistance and reimbursement mechanisms are passenger-rights provisions. Travelers should continue relying on the rules currently in force until the new legislation completes the constitutional process and any necessary implementation measures are established.

7. Aviation violations and penalties

The proposal establishes an updated enforcement regime for aviation participants, including service providers and operators of unmanned aircraft. It classifies violations as minor, serious and very serious and provides for fines and, in specified cases, suspension of permits, certificates or licences.

What the Assembly vote does not mean

• New airlines and routes do not begin automatically.
• Ticket prices are not guaranteed to fall.
• Underused regional airports do not automatically receive scheduled service.
• Airport services have not all been privatized.
• Every proposed drone requirement is not already being enforced.
• The Assembly-approved wording is not guaranteed to be identical to the final law.

What happens next?

The proposal now goes through the Executive stage. The President may sanction it or present objections under Ecuador’s constitutional legislative process. The definitive legal position should be checked when the final text is published in the Official Register.

After publication, implementation becomes the next issue. Regulations and administrative measures—especially DGAC rules—may be needed before some provisions can operate fully.

There are therefore three stages to follow:

1. The Assembly-approved bill: what legislators approved on September 24.
2. The final law: the definitive text after the Executive process and official publication.
3. Regulations and DGAC rules: the technical and administrative details governing implementation.

The simple version

If it takes effect substantially as approved, the proposal would consolidate Ecuador’s civil-aviation framework, promote open skies and regional connectivity, establish clearer rules for airport participation and drones, strengthen the DGAC, make accident investigation more independent, update enforcement and provide passenger protections.

But as of September 25, 2026, it is not yet the final law in force. Ecuador Informa will update this explainer after the Executive process and when important implementation rules are issued.

Sources

• National Assembly: approval in second debate, September 24, 2026
• National Assembly: legislative file for the Civil Aviation Bill
• National Assembly: report for second debate