MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Air industry workers' strike leaves thousands stranded in Argentina

It was an irresponsible thing to do, Adorni said

Thousands of air travelers were stranded Wednesday as workers of the Argentine airline industry went on strike for 24 hours in rejection of a 12% wage increase that in no way matches the country's rampant inflation.

The Aeronautical Staff Association (APA), the Airline Pilots Association (APLA), and the Union of Senior and Professional Staff of Aerocommercial Companies (UPSA) went ahead with their measure given the salary adjustments offered by Aerolíneas Argentinas and Intercargo, the company handling ramp operations.

“The strike is purely of a salary nature,” since the aeronautical workers are “70 points below the inflationary gap,” APLA Spokesman Juan Pablo Mazzieri said in a radio interview.

Argentina recorded last January an annual inflation rate of 254.2%, with monthly rates of 12.8 % in November, 25.5 % in December, and 20.6 % last month as salaries lost their purchasing power.

Aerolíneas Argentinas canceled 331 flights Wednesday as a consequence of the strike, which affected some 24,000 passengers while 10,000 others changed their tickets during the last few days.

Budget carrier Flybondi operated Wednesday from the Ezeiza International Airport where it would not need Intercargo's assistance but had to adapt at the rest of the airports. American Airlines took off and landed normally.

Presidential Spokesman Manuel Adorni said it was “irresponsible” to leave 35,000 people unable to travel. “They left 35,000 people without being able to travel, that is 35,000 people who perhaps lost a job opportunity, a vacation opportunity, or another kind of opportunity, and we are very sorry,” he stressed.