Buenos Aires, December 17, 2025 - Total News Agency (TNA) - This Wednesday, a nationwide air traffic controllers' strike, called by the Association of Technicians and Employees for Aircraft Protection and Security (ATEPSA), began, causing significant delays, rescheduling, and flight cancellations across the country. This affects tens of thousands of passengers during the peak summer season and just days before the end-of-year holidays.
The strike action, which started at 08:00 and is scheduled until 11:00, impacts departures of domestic flights from all Argentine airports. This has forced several airlines to modify their operations and inform passengers about schedule adjustments.
According to initial reports, the protest has already affected more than 24,000 passengers with flights scheduled for this morning. The union also denounces a lack of response to their proposals regarding working and operational conditions, which they claim have been harming the sector.
The protest occurs in a context where air traffic controllers' salaries are lagging behind inflation and the cost of living, according to union sources. They also accuse the state-owned company and aviation authorities of lacking dialogue and attention to their demands.
The Ministry of Labor has called a conciliation hearing for 10:00 today, aiming to de-escalate the conflict before the strike actions proceed on the upcoming dates.
Aerolíneas Argentinas reported having to advance and delay multiple flights, with about 67 services delayed and 25 advanced, affecting thousands of passengers. However, the company has not confirmed flight cancellations at this stage.
Flybondi had to cancel several flights and reschedule numerous services. JetSmart also reported adjustments to its operation, with most of its itineraries suffering changes to their original schedules to avoid the most critical periods of the action.
The union call is part of a schedule of escalating strike actions that will extend until the end of the year, with multiple periods affecting domestic flight departures and, on subsequent dates, international flights as well.
However, the strike call comes while a strike is already in progress, forcing airlines and users to adapt to a scenario of high operational uncertainty.
In response to the union escalation, the Argentine Air Navigation Company (EANA) described the measures as "illegitimate" and "inadmissible," arguing that air transport is an essential service guaranteed by law and that the interruption of its operations during periods of high demand directly harms citizens who depend on the national transport system.
In the face of this situation, authorities, operators, and users all agree on the need to constantly check the status of flights through the official channels of the airlines to avoid inconveniences with planned travel during the days affected by the strike.
The plan includes interruptions during the afternoon of Thursday, December 18, the evening of Tuesday, December 23, the afternoon of Saturday, December 27—when international departures would be affected—and Monday, December 29, when a measure that could involve the entire national and international aviation is contemplated.
From ATEPSA, union leaders justify the strike in demands for salary recomposition and compliance with collective bargaining agreements previously signed with the Argentine Air Navigation Company (EANA), which, according to the union, have not been respected.
