Aerolíneas Argentinas Faces $1.1 Million Loss as Pilots’ Strike Disrupts Thousands
Aerolíneas Argentinas, the country’s state-owned airline, announced it will cancel 22 flights and reschedule 28 more due to a pilots’ strike on June 10.
The walkout, organized by the Airline Pilots Association (APLA), will affect Buenos Aires’ main airports, Aeroparque Jorge Newbery and Ezeiza, from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. the following day. Over 6,000 passengers will see their travel plans disrupted.
The company estimates the strike will cost $1.1 million in direct and indirect losses. The airline’s management calls the strike unjustified, stating that less than three weeks ago, it had signed a new wage agreement with the union.
Aerolíneas Argentinas claims no urgent demands were presented in recent meetings that would warrant such a disruptive action. The company accuses union leadership of political motives, arguing that the walkout comes just as the airline posted its first operational profit since nationalization.
Management says the strike damages the airline’s fragile financial recovery and uses passengers as leverage. APLA, led by Pablo Biró, justifies the strike by citing delayed salary adjustments, breaches of collective agreements, lack of a professional development plan, and technical issues with the fleet.
The union argues that high inflation has eroded pilots’ wages and that the company has failed to invest in necessary maintenance, affecting both safety and working conditions.
Pilots say they want to reopen wage negotiations, pointing to a 16% increase agreed in late 2024 as insufficient in the current economic climate. Inflation in Argentina reached 47.3% annually as of April 2025, with 11.6% recorded in the first four months of the year.
The strike highlights ongoing tensions between the airline and its workforce. Aerolíneas Argentinas has faced repeated industrial actions over the past year, with unions protesting what they call inadequate pay and poor management.
The company, meanwhile, is under pressure to cut losses and improve efficiency, especially as calls for privatization grow louder in the political arena. Travelers affected by the strike are urged to check their emails and the airline’s website for updates.
The dispute underscores the fragile state of Argentina’s aviation sector, where labor unrest and financial instability continue to threaten reliable service.
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