Border closures: what you need to know about the flights authorized for the month of August, the situation of those stranded and the demands of the sector

On July 9, the government published Administrative Decision (DA) 683/2021 which slightly relaxed the quota of Argentines who can return from abroad. After the previous rule which limited the number to 600 per day, the latter gradually increased it, reaching 1,000 per day for the two weeks which began on July 24 and which will end on August 6, the day on which the provisions of the ‘Official decision.

With just over a week to go, the stranded representatives of the commercial aviation sector are unsure of how the government is going to act and how many places they will give Argentines who have to return from abroad.

In the last hours, the flights authorized by the ANAC (National Civil Aviation Administration) for the first week of the following month were known:

Argentine airlines: the national company was the first to announce, as usual, its flights activated for the first week of August.

It will have flights to Miami on August 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7. While He will be leaving this city on the 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th of next month. Since Ezeiza in New York, will have flights on August 2 and 7 and of New York to Buenos Aires will have a single flight on the 4th of next month.

As for Madrid, will operate a only flight on August 4 Yes will fly away from the Spanish capital on August 2 and 6 to Ezeiza.

Regarding continental destinations, it will fly a flight from Ezeiza to Bogotá on August 4 and will return on August 5. From Aeroparque, it will operate a flight to Lima on August 5 and will return from there on the 6 of the same month. Finally you will have an Aeroparque flight to Asunción on August 5, the very day he returns.

Latin America : the Chilean who stopped operating in the country and left the country last year, only received permission to operate only one flight for the route Lima – Buenos Aires – Lima with a limitation of 130 passengers for arrival in Argentina. The plane will arrive in the country on August 7 and leave the same day for the Peruvian capital.

As for its links with Brazil and Chile, they are suspended due to the restrictions that the government maintains with the two countries. So, Latam reported the cancellation of its services between Santiago de Chile and São Paulo with Buenos Aires.

American Airlines: the company that operates flights from Dallas, Miami and New York to Buenos Aires has been approved to fly only between Miami and Buenos Aires. From August 1 to 8, a daily EZEIZA-MIAMI-EZEIZA flight will be operated.

Regarding the connections with Dallas and New York, the company canceled all its passenger flights until August 8. However, it will maintain cargo flights between these two cities and Buenos Aires.

Delta Airlines: will operate flights from Atlanta on August 1, 6 and 8, it should be noted that flight 6 is just freight, while the other two will be both freight and passengers. With identical dates, it will fly from Ezeiza to there, all three flights will be passengers in this case.

United Airlines: For its part, the airline that flies from Houston will have arrivals in Ezeiza with only cargo flights on August 1, 6 and 8. The only flight from Houston with passengers will arrive in the country on the 4th of the same month. While it will leave Buenos Aires for this destination the same four days, but with all its planes ready for passengers and freight.

Air Europe: European will fly twice from Madrid on August 2 and 5 with a capacity limited to 150 passengers by plane. While will operate flights from Ezeiza on August 1, 3 and 5, without capacity restriction.

Iberia: for its part, the Spanish company has received authorization to operate a single passenger flight departing from Madrid on August 2 with a capacity limited to 150 passengers, while it will operate exclusively cargo planes bound for Ezeiza on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of the same month.

Departing from Ezeiza, it will fly on August 2, 3, 4 and 5, with no limit on the number of seats for sale.

Air France: the French airline has obtained authorization to fly from Paris to Buenos Aires on August 1 on a flight with a capacity of 160 passengers, while You will be able to fly to the French capital on the 2nd, 5th and 7th of next month.

KLM: will work a flight on August 3 from Amsterdam, also with a capacity of 160 passengers, Yes will fly to this destination on August 1, 4, 6 and 8.

Lufthansa: will fly August 4 from Frankfurt to Ezeiza, Yes will do the opposite on August 7.

Copa Airlines: is allowed to fly from Panama on August 1 and 7, Yes will fly from Ezeiza to its destination on the 2nd and 8th of the same month.

Even with these qualifications, the problem of stranded abroad has not been resolved. Testimonies from people around the world have appeared in media and social networks, denouncing that they have to extend their stay abroad due to the limited ability to enter Argentina.

Infobae collected different cases of stranding. For example, that of Dayane Novaes, an intensive care doctor stranded in Brazil who had to present a habeas corpus in an attempt to return home, the case of Jorge Vartorelli, stranded in the United States, among other cases which do not cease to multiply.

With the escalation of this conflict, at the end of June there was a crossover between the private aviation sector and the government. The first assured that there were about 45,000 Argentines stranded abroad, while the government, Florence carignano, head of migration, said that “There is no grounding; around 45,000 Argentines have declared that they have left for tourism in the last four months “. He also explained that according to agency data, over the past month, 26,000 Argentines left Argentina for tourism, including 10,000 last week.

Whatever the number, the number of stranded abroad can only increase. If we look at the number of passenger flight arrivals versus the number of departures of the same type, the balance of Argentines leaving the country in relation to those who return continues to increase. Many airlines only operate cargo flights to our country, while they return to their bases with planes full of passengers.

Sources consulted by Infobae they said that this methodology continues to be profitable for foreign airlines.

Faced with this critical situation, local and international representatives of the commercial aviation sector have expressed themselves through various statements in disagreement with the official measures. The International Air Transport Association (IATA, for its acronym in English), which brings together 80% of the airlines in the world, issued a very harsh statement on July 22 in which it accused the government of abandoning its strandings and that decisions appear to have been made. in an “arbitrary and discriminatory” manner.

It was not the first time that IATA has expressed its disagreement. In the same way he would do it ten days ago in dialogue with Infobae. In which In addition to commenting on those stranded, he warned the government of the danger that more airlines would decide to cease operations in Argentina because of the difficulty it poses for them.

Among those who left during the pandemic, there are Qatar Airways, Air New Zealand Yes Latam Argentina. While Europe Norwegian He had already left the local market at the end of 2020, before the coronavirus crisis. Those who have temporarily suspended operations – some with scheduled return dates between September and October – include Alitalia, British Airways, Emirates, Ethiopian, Cuban Aviation, Air Canada, Sky and the Brazilians goal Yes Blue.

At the local level, the Argentine Chamber of Airlines (Jurca) has also declared itself aligned with the IATA position, asking the government for a hearing and the review of official measures.

Predictability is what Jurca and IATA and the representatives of national tourism demand as a chorus. These sectors need it in order to be able to work more effectively and efficiently, and thus be able to offer greater safety to travelers.

On August 6, the deadline for the measures of administrative decision 683/2021 ends. There is growing frustration and great expectation from stranded airlines and industry representatives about what new implementations the government will make. Meanwhile, requests to review official measures continue and private requests are accepted as part of the task force to develop future guidelines for flight restrictions.

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