Ezeiza, Buenos Aires’ main international airport, will run on a single runway, cut to about half its usual length, from Sunday, October 25, to November 11, and 14 airlines that fly there will suspend their flights.
The concessionaire, Aeropuertos Argentina, is rehabilitating the secondary runway and the point where it crosses the main one, part of a US$110 million upgrade. On the shortened 1,850 meters, wide-body jets such as the Boeing 777, the aircraft used on long-haul routes, cannot take off with a full load of fuel.
The 14 airlines suspending service include American, Delta, United and Air Canada, which link Buenos Aires to North America, and Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, Swiss and British Airways to Europe, plus Aeroméxico, China Eastern, Emirates, Ethiopian and Turkish.
The other 16 airlines have changed their schedules. Aerolíneas Argentinas adds a refueling stop in Rio de Janeiro on its Madrid and Rome flights. Iberia, Air Europa and Level stop in Montevideo on their Spain routes, and Copa refuels in Rosario or Córdoba on its way to Panama. LATAM has suspended its Miami route from October 24. Airlines flying smaller jets, among them JetSMART, GOL, Avianca and Sky, are unaffected.
Airlines have been notifying ticket holders about rebooking, refunds or rerouting through other airports. Travelers with flights in the window should check the booking and their contact details with the airline. Normal operations are due to resume on November 11.