The controversy surrounding the LATAM airline flight connecting Punta Arenas with the Malvina Islands, with a stopover in Ushuaia, reached a fever pitch this weekend . What began as a simple route change due to repairs at the Río Gallegos airport has turned into a symbolic sovereignty conflict, with an ultimatum from the Tierra del Fuego government to the company.
The epicenter of the dispute is LATAM's refusal to publicly recognize the official name of Ushuaia Airport, "Malvinas Argentinas," on its global web platform.
LATAM respects the official name of all airports except Ushuaia. Below the name "Ushuaia, USH - Argentina ," it should say " Ushuaia ," not " Malvinas Argentinas . "
This omission, which has been denounced by media outlets such as Agenda Malvinas , is nothing more than a concession to the demands of the British colonial government, which has so far succeeded in avoiding any explicit link between the route and Argentina's claim to the islands.
Ultimatum and official action
Early Saturday morning, the governor of Tierra del Fuego province, Gustavo Melella , issued an ultimatum to the airline: "If LATAM doesn't recognize the name of our airport, it can say goodbye to Ushuaia," he warned. This position was backed by airport authorities, who demanded that the names "MALVINAS ARGENTINAS" or "PUERTO ARGENTINO" be displayed on flight schedule screens.
Today, Sunday, the flight initially canceled due to Saturday's strong winds arrived in Ushuaia at 12:10 p.m. Amid a major security operation led by the Airport Security Police and members of the Navy, some 30 people, mostly war veterans, boarded the plane bound for the Malvinas Islands. Although they stated they were aware of the airline's refusal to name the airport, the veterans declined to comment due to direct pressure from the guide accompanying them, who abruptly removed them from the Agenda Malvinas journalists.
Given the airline's lack of response and its persistent omission on the website, Governor Melella announced a new action: sending a formal note to LATAM this Monday . In it, the Tierra del Fuego governor could be expressing his disagreement or rejection of the unusual behavior, requesting that the airline rectify its position and use the airport's official name, "Malvinas Argentinas," on all its information and ticket sales channels.
But for the time being, and despite the statements of the governor of Tierra del Fuego, the will of the British colonial government was obeyed . LATAM's refusal to respect the official name of Ushuaia Airport, which honors those who fell in the Malvinas War, demonstrates this . It further highlights the vulnerability of Argentina's position in the face of the United Kingdom's fait accompli policy.
Flybondi always close to Great Britain
Adding complexity and raising new questions to the situation is that the LATAM flight was dispatched by Flybondi , the Argentine low-cost airline founded during the Macri administration and recently changed hands. It is now controlled by the US investment fund COC Global Enterprise , whose business network includes ties to British companies, such as the now-defunct Flybondi Holdings PLC.
Tags
Other news about Tierra del fuego
THE RETURN FLIGHT: Veterans arrive in Ushuaia, closing out a week of tension over the Malvinas War.
At 4 p.m. a contingent of 20 War Veterans arrives from Malvinas to Ushuaia
Ignoring Argentine sovereignty, LATAM will fly today from the Malvinas to Ushuaia.
