MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

LATAM not fully naming Ushuaia's airport sparks outrage

LATAM did not recognize the airport's “Malvinas Argentinas” (Argentine Falklands) official name

LATAM Airlines' removal of Ushuaia's International Airport's name (“Malvinas Argentinas” - Spanish for “Argentine Falklands”) regarding its stopover between Punta Arenas (Chile) and Mount Pleasant sparked criticism on the Argentine side.

After the decision, reportedly made to accommodate a request from British authorities, Tierra del Fuego Governor Gustavo Melella warned that if the airline chose not to recognize the airport's name, it might just as well “say goodbye to Ushuaia.”

Before September 13, LATAM's flight used to stop at Rio Gallegos, but switched to Ushuaia due to maintenance work. In all of its announcements, it referred to “Ushuaia, USH - Argentina,” leaving out the airport's name, unlike it reportedly does regarding the other terminals it serves.

The flight, canceled due to strong winds on Saturday, arrived at 12.10 pm Sunday in Ushuaia. A major security operation by the Airport Security Police and Navy troops helped some 30 people, mostly war veterans, board the flight to the Islands, who refused to comment on the omission.

Argentine outlets also noted that the flight's ground operations in Ushuaia were handled by the local budget carrier Flybondi, which has recently changed hands and is controlled by the US investment fund COC Global Enterprise, with alleged links to British companies.