Aerolineas Argentinas will resume repatriation flights

Aerolineas Argentina will resume its special flights to repatriate Argentines who were stranded abroad in the context of the coronavirus pandemic from next Monday, was officially announced this Thursday.

In the so-called “second phase” of its special operation, the flag carrier will make a first flight from the Mexican city of Cancun.

The flight will be carried out with an Airbus 330 with capacity for 270 passengers. Scheduled under the number AR1371, it is scheduled to arrive at Ezeiza International Airport next Monday at 19:10.

“In line with the Gradual, Planned and Safe Reopening Plan established by the National Government for the country’s borders, the flights will be planned one by one in order to regulate income flows as well as ensure compliance with sanitary and preventive isolation measures, “the company said in a statement.

In addition, the company announced the schedule of a flight to Comodoro Rivadavia and another to Rio Gallegos for the day on April 5.

During the first phase of special flights that took place between March 18 and 27, 44 operations were carried out that allowed more than 14,000 people to return to the country.

The destinations operated were Rio de Janeiro, Florianópolis, San Pablo, Porto Seguro, San Salvador de Bahía, Bogotá, Lima, Miami, Madrid, Cancún and Punta Cana.

“These flights are part of the role that Aerolineas Argentinas has as a flag airline. We are very proud and committed to the work we are doing. They are gradual flights, which need to be spaced to regulate the flow of income into the country. We ask for patience and understanding for passengers, it is an unprecedented operation in a very dynamic scenario, “explained Pablo Ceriani, president of the company.

The new special operation of Aerolineas Argentinas is framed within the policy of “safe corridors” established by the Executive Power and which establishes a maximum limit of readmissions per day of 700 people by air transport.

During these operations, the Foreign Ministry coordinates shipping priorities by age, health or humanitarian reasons.

Infected crew

The Argentine Association of Airworthiness (AAA) reported this Thursday that, As a result of the participation of their representatives in the repatriation flights of Argentine citizens abroad, two members of the union tested positive for coronavirus..

“We only have a total of two colleagues who have tested positive on the COVID-19, who today are asymptomatic and at home, in optimal health conditions,” said the head of AAA, Juan Pablo Brey.

These are two cabin crew who participated in the flights brought to the country by Argentines who had been stranded abroad.

“We have accompanied each suspected case and were in permanent contact with the positive cases in absolute confidentiality“Brey said in a statement.

And he added: “From the minute zero that this pandemic started, we are committed to the humanitarian issue and to each one of our colleagues. We demand adequate sanitary conditions to carry out repatriation flights and domestic flights.”

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