MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

No privatization ahead but long term being evaluated, admits Aerolíneas Argentinas boss

Malvido cannot understand what the unions want.

Aerolineas Argentinas President Luis Malvido ruled out Wednesday any plans to privatize the national flag carrier and added they had “no intention to close down routes.” However, the company's long term is under evaluation.

 Malvido made those remarks during a radio interview after strikes last week caused numerous flight cancellations which affected the travel plans of around 30 thousand passengers.

He nonetheless admitted “financial difficulties have increased” due to “the value of the dollar,” and that pilots and unions have been called to look for a new way to fly because new airplanes are very expensive, “and the company's long term” is also being evaluated.

Malvido referred to the strikes as “tense moments where some unions do things that test the endurance of our customers.” He added that the unions' claims where hard to fathom because “in September our employees were given a 34 percent rise, when the industry's average was 25 percent.”

“We do not believe that they are right, but we ask them to sit down and negotiate,” he added.

Given this coming long weekend due to the November 19 holiday, further strikes are feared. But Malvido claimed to have no knowledge of such plans. If it happens, flights will be rescheduled with “two hours' notice,” he explained.