Government authorizes additional flights to new daily quota of 1,700 passengers

Paola Tamburelli, head of the National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC)He assured that after the publication of the new administrative decision which brings to 1,700 the daily quota of Argentinian passengers who can return from abroad, airlines will also be allowed to carry out special flights to bring stranded passengers.

“We are offering additional flights, to facilitate the return of passengers who were on rescheduled flights and who were unable to return to the country. Every time it deserves (for the company) to put an extra plane, ”Tamburelli said.

In any case, the official insisted on the official position that there are no Argentines stranded abroad. “We say there is no stranding because people who have traveled they did it knowing the restrictive measures that there was and that they could change not only in Argentina but in the rest of the world “.

“In addition to the increase in quotas, for which we are working a lot, we were interested in giving greater predictability, Because one of the questions that airlines have always asked us, for the sake of their schedules, was how long in the future they could operate. The validity (of previous administrative decisions) for 10 days it was very little time“said Tamburelli, speaking to Radio Concept.

He added: “For this reason it has been signed that for the next two months there will be a gradual increase in two stages. One with 11,900 places per week from this Saturday, which is equivalent to 1700 places per day from the 1,000 we were driving. And from September 6 to October 1, the quota increases to 2,300 passengers per day, with the opening of new airports, so that airlines can fly not only from Ezeiza, Aeroparque and San Fernando, but other provinces too. It’s a breakthrough, ”he said.

The official said that on Saturday morning she held a meeting with representatives of all airlines coming from abroad. “We will meet throughout the weekend to establish flight schedules based on these new conditions. They were satisfied although, of course, always the companies they aspire not to have quotas and to be able to fly freely, which we as the aviation authority would also like. But as health continues to be a priority and the pandemic continues, it is necessary that these measures also continue”.

Tambourines discarded that the restrictions imposed by the government on flights will generate the departure of Argentine airlines. “The entire commercial aviation market is guided by an economic-financial equation. If he works at the business, he steals. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t fly. This pandemic taught us that the economic impact was very strong, but that there were also other variables that companies were managing. Many companies came to Argentina empty and left empty, but they wanted to keep the road. They were interested in having a presence in our country. Today, they are very satisfied to be able to recharge their planes, or that they can fill them a little more than before”.

The official also confirmed that there will be room for the two emergency quotas among the 1,700 passengers allowed per day, and for special flights to be configured, in addition to this quota.

“He will seek to make it easier for people who have had to reschedule their return home due to health measures to do so.” Of course, the companies are much happier because they see that they can give an answer to the passengers, who also put pressure on them, ”he said.

“In the quota of 1,700 passengers per day, there are 100 passengers who can be prioritized for fundamentally emergency, health or family reasons., or the athletes from Tokyo, who went to represent the country and were to have a guaranteed return. All requests will be relieved and, within the limit of what they can prove as an emergency, these passengers will have priority in the quota ”.