FALKLANDS CAUTIOUS ABOUT AIR LINK PROPOSAL
By J. Brock (FINN)
The South American Press has speculated today that an Argentine airline, Aerolinas Argentinas, has applied to the Department of Transport in the United Kingdom for a twice-weekly service to the Falklands. Press reports say the proposed airframe is a Boeing 737 and that the service could start in May this year. LaNacion quotes the airline’s president as saying that there shouldn’t be any difficulties with this because his company has an established air route to the UK with no problems. He went on to say that those Argentines who want to fly to the Falklands would benefit from the new route, as well as Islanders who want closer ties with the mainland.
FIBS conducted an interview with Acting Governor, Mr. Russ Jarvis (RJ) for the Foreign Office’s views on the proposal.
RJ: We do know that an application has been put in. We have been made aware of that. We do know that it is with the Department of Transport but what the outcome of that will be, of course, I just can’t say at the moment. Because it is still under consideration. I think it’s fair to say that the Foreign Office in Government House and the Embassy in Buenos Aires is fully aware of the views of the Falkland Islands Government on this issue and these will naturally be taken into consideration in dealing with any application.
FIBS: How long will it be before any decisions are made?
RJ: It’s difficult to say. I don’t know what the process is within the Department of Transport for issues of this nature. All I know is they will take everything into consideration, particularly the views of the Falkland Islands Government.
FIBS: I then asked John Birmingham (JB), on behalf of the Islands’ elected Councillors, for their response.
JB: There seems to be a lot of Argentine excitement about a proposal to have Aerolinas Argentinas fly into the Islands. Councillors were told at our weekly meeting yesterday by the Acting Governor Russ Jarvis that there had been an approach. That will have to go through its process with the Department of Transport in Britain. And, we’ll have to wait and see what comes of that. But the stuff that’s coming out of the Argentine press – one wonders whether it originated in the Walt Disney Studios in California.
FIBS: Do you think there will be any possibility of this happening at all?
JB: We will have to wait and see whether there is an actual official approach to the Falkland Islands Government. At the moment, that hasn’t happened.
Islanders are very happy with the LanChile flight that has been operating every week from Santiago. Thanks to the 1999 Agreement between Argentina, Britain and the Falkland Islands, there is an Argentine stop-over once a month so that any Argentines who want to use the flight can come to the Falklands. Mostly this flight is used by Argentine Next of Kin, however, few Argentines have been on the flight for the past 16 months. It is thought that their economic crisis is the main cause of the lack in passengers from Argentina.
