Argentina Airport Strike Disrupts 15,000 Passengers

Some 15,000 passengers were affected by a strike called by aviation unions in Argentina sparking chaos in airports, where passengers waited for updates to re-schedule their flights.

The protest, called by the Asociación Argentina de Aeronavegantes and the Asociación de Pilotos de Líneas Aéreas, caused 150 flights to be canceled, leaving confused passengers asking for information in a Buenos Aires airport.

The unions demanding better pay rises to adjust to the 264-percent annual inflation rate, which is the highest worldwide.

President Javier Milei has announced plans to privatize the state-run Aerolineas Argentinas airline as part of his adjustment pack to tackle inflation and state deficit.

In statements published on their official websites, both organizations stated that the protest is taking place after the failure of talks with Aerolíneas Argentinas and Intercargo management to obtain fair salaries and face the considerable loss of purchasing power of the employees.

“After months of intense negotiations and putting all our efforts to avoid this conflict, we have no choice but to carry out these actions until we receive an adequate offer in line with inflation”, they stated.

We were patient, respectful of the deadlines, and we complied with the mandatory conciliation despite not being called by the Secretary of Labor to negotiate during that period. Further delays and proposals that are not only insufficient but provocative are unacceptable, they added.

Member of Canadian Snowboard team, James Savard, said “They told us nothing so far. so we might have to get with another company to get to our destination.”

The protest is a continuation of a plan of struggle carried out for weeks and involves the cancellation or postponement of several flights.

The unions are demanding better pay increases to adjust to the 264-percent annual inflation rate, which is the highest worldwide.