In the middle of the conflict with Aerolíneas Argentinasthe national government is preparing a strong deregulation of domestic flights so that it can be carried out by foreign companies, with their crews and without the need to register the aircraft in the country or certify their personnel.
According to the information circulating, the Executive’s instruction is to move forward on determining the percentage of foreign personnel and the replacement procedure, and on the guarantee of operation, assistance and maintenance by Argentine personnel.
The government’s decision comes at a time when the union conflict over wage increases and the future of Aerolíneas Argentinas has escalated to the point of no return.
While the Government took action against the unions with complaints, dismissals and particularly against the union leader Pablo Biró, who will be expelled from the Board of Directors of the flagship airline and criminal charges have been filed against him, the union leaders anticipated the hardening of the force measures.
In practice, the Government will open the possibility for foreign companies to come and operate domestic services in the country, with their own staff and without the need to register the aircraft in Argentina, as is currently the case.
Although this possibility was already enabled by agreements signed with some countries, the alternative is now extended to any airline, regardless of the agreements agreed upon.
Yesterday, the Government held talks with some foreign airlines, such as Avianca and Gol, as well as with the low-cost airline Flybondi, and in the next few hours it will also do so with the other low-cost airline operating in the country, Jetsmart.
Although the talks are “informal” for the moment, they reveal the Executive’s decision to move forward in this direction as long as the unions do not reconsider their position and accept the offer of parity.
In this way, the Casa Rosada would try to have a “connectivity” support in case the unions deepen their forceful measures and paralyze the movement of Aerolíneas.
A step has already been taken in the direction of limiting the implications of the strikes with the deregulation of ramp services which, in practice, will imply a cessation of activities by workers of Intercargo does not paralyze activities, by opening the possibility for each company to provide its own ramp service or resort to a third party to provide that service.
The deregulation decree is already drafted and will be published in the Official Gazette in the next few hours.
Source: Ambito
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