MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Falklands' Government requests Argentina for compassionate charter flight to Chile
South American residents in the Falklands have been unable to visit their relatives or renew documents since before the pandemic The Falkland Islands Government (FIG) confirmed on Friday that in effect it has held conversations with the UK government about the possibility of putting on a charter flight for South American members of our community to visit family and friends during the festive season.
This will also give people the opportunity to renew expired documents which we know has been a huge concern.
As such a flight would require the permission of the Government of Argentina (GoA) to fly over their air space, and although this is a recognised devolved matter, FIG has asked the UK government to negotiate this bilateral request on our behalf, as GoA will not engage directly with FIG on this matter.
FIG is hopeful this request will be granted given that, due to Covid-19, there are many people in the Falkland Islands who have not been able to see their family since before the pandemic began.
As December is traditionally a time of goodwill, receiving necessary permissions for this flight would mean a great deal to many people, both in the Falkland Islands and in South America.
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Read all commentsThey want it to seem like they are doing something noble for the Falkland Islanders.
Dec 13th, 2021 - 12:06 am +3The real purpose is for land-grabbing political capital.
They will later argue that they have been sooooo good to the Falkland Islanders and those Islanders still refuse to give any ground on anything.
If they were sincerely “humanitarian” about this, they would just say, “go ahead”.
Hello Swede, no suitable passenger vessels available.So it has to be Latam - and methinks Arg will say no to the overflight and offer AA instead - which would be turned down and could not happen as apart from us not accepting it- AA would never be allowed to make all the appropriate preflight paperwork contacts with FIF Civil Aviation - as we don't exist!
Dec 11th, 2021 - 12:38 pm +2FRod, Argentina is not the least bit concerned about the Islanders welfare. They are just trying to make political capital out of a humanitarian situation. Argentina, should be ashamed.
Dec 12th, 2021 - 11:17 pm +2The FIG should have an alternative, however. Thought they were traditionally a seafaring people. Hasn't the FIG got a boat anymore?
Relying on the airways is just letting Argentina get a grip of the Islanders (collective) goolies.
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