Protests and General Strike Lead to Flight Cancellations in Argentina
Argentina's Congress is set to pass a law changing how future pension payments are calculated. In response, Argentina's main labor group — Confederación General del Trabajo de la República Argentina (CGT) — has called for a 24-hour protest that started Monday, December 18 at 12:00pm local time.
As one of the largest labor groups in the world with over 3 million members, around one in five Argentine workers is a member of CGT. So, a strike by this labor union can cause severe impacts to all aspects of life in the South American nation, including travel.
According to a notice posted on the Argentine version of its website, LATAM Airlines has cancelled all domestic and international Argentina flights through noon Tuesday. The translated version of the notice reads:
LATAM Airlines informs that due to the national strike in Argentina for 24 hours, announced as of noon today, the operation will be canceled since then for domestic and international flights in the airports of this country.
After 12 noon of tomorrow, Tuesday, December 19, the service will be gradually restored.
Similarly, Aerolineas Argentinas is cancelling all Argentina flights "with respect to the work stoppage decreed by the CGT:"
Even if you're not flying on LATAM or Aerolineas Argentinas, you might face delays or cancellations if flying in, out or through Argentina on Monday night or Tuesday. FlightAware has already tracked 559 cancellations so far in the country's three largest airports:
- Jorge Newbery in Buenos Aires, Argentina (AEP): 214 cancellations Monday, 159 cancellations Tuesday
- Ministro Pistarini in Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE): 79 cancellations Monday, 29 cancellations Tuesday
- Cordoba, Argentina (COR): 45 cancellations Monday, 33 cancellations Tuesday
Two US airlines currently have travel waivers to allow you to change your flight:
- Travel dates: December 18-19
- Airports covered: Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE); Cordoba, Argentina (COR); Mendoza, Argentina (MDZ)
- Must have purchased your ticket by December 18.
- Rebook travel anytime between December 18-22.
- You can't change your origin or destination city. Must rebook in same class or pay the difference.
- Travel dates: December 18-19
- Airport covered: Buenos Aires, Argentina (EZE)
- The change fee and any difference in fare will be waived for new United flights departing on or before December 21, 2017, as long as travel is rescheduled in the originally ticketed cabin (any fare class) and between the same cities as originally ticketed.
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