MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Argentine Airlines still hopeful about flights.
Aerolíneas Argentinas is hopeful it will be able to begin flights to the Falkland Islands in the near future and says negotiations are on-going with the British Civil Aviation Authority “and then we will see how we coordinate things, as matters are complicated because we need the intervention of the Foreign Ministry,” airline spokesman Julio Scarmella told MercoPress.
Last week Aerolineas Argentinas President Antonio Mata took many people by surprise when he announced the airline will commence flights twice a week to the Islands at the end of May. This was promptly followed by an adamant "no" from the Islanders councillors.
The Argentine Foreign Ministry on their part were reportedly concerned that the airline did not tell them of their plans. Questioned as to why the airline did not contact them over their plans the spokesman said "we contacted the Civil Aviation Authority through our office in London as we are an airline and are not interested in politics. In ten days time we don't know who will be president."
However, he admitted that if they obtain approval from the CAA the airline will need both the Argentine Foreign Ministry and the Foreign Office in London to help implement the flights "because of the matter of the passports" he said in obvious reference to the 1999 agreement ? which led to the start of Lan Chile's weekly flights? and included allowing Argentine visitors into the Islands upon presentation of their passports, until then banned.
Questioned as to his reply to the Islanders immediate refusal to allow flights he said "the Islanders should analyse a little what it would mean to have flights twice a week. They would be able to get medicines, fresh foodstuffs, and passenger flights, which would be beneficial to them if they wanted to travel and we'd also take more tourists and relatives of those Argentines (buried in the Argentine cemetery) which would mean more work and income to the Islanders."
Asked about the route and fares he said the airline would fly from Buenos Aires, stop in Rio Gallegos and then onto the Falkland Islands "with a very good fare, very competitive for everyone."
Heather M Briley (MP) Buenos Aires
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