11/28/05 - Buenos Aires Herald - Airline strike news
 

Aerolíneas fires strikers, rest dig in

The CEO of the parent company flies down from Madrid for the firings.

The pay strike has grounded 135 flights and stranded some 23,500 passengers since it began on Thursday evening, the company said yesterday, adding that it was losing 1.3 million dollars a day due to the walkout by pilots and technical workers who are demanding a 45-percent wage increase.

The APTA technicians and the APLA pilots’ union reacted to the company’s dismissal announcement by saying they would stretch their strike for as long as it takes.

the strike goes on
 

Well, we have cancelled all plans to go to Iguazu and the Sheraton has agreed to refund our money. Now we have not yet found a place to stay as most hotels are booked. Thanks for all the suggestions... we know trip advisor quite well and have an agent helping (Cintia at Wow). She is going crazy trying to rescue all her clients who are stranded all over the country, so we will be making our own phone calls. We´re hoping we can find something in the Palermos area.

Hopefully we´ll be able to meet you all on Wdnesday!

Pack light sbagal! Lots of good shopping! We brought an empty suitcase.

No, this is definetely not the "real" Argentina. Its one thing to exercise ones right to strike, and another completely different thing to disrupt the lives of those that have no part in the labour dispute. As with the "piqueteros" and other forms of civil protest that unfortunatetly have become popular here, many dont understand that ones rights end exactly at the same point where the rights of others begin. The "real" Argentina will be, hopefully, one where we can go by our business and our problems without ruining things for everyone else.

The bozos that cut the Ricchieri highway are certainly not part of the real Argentina... they are unfortunatetly a bunch of idiots that are allowed to disrupt things beyond all reason.

Thanks very much for the invite this Thursday, but unfortunatetly I have a corporate event here at Terroir and will be unable to attend.

Cheers
Alex

Hilton meeting
 

Did I miss something? Are you guys meeting at the Hilton on Wednesday or Thursday?

Better yet ... buy a suitcase in Argentina. It's likely to be cheaper.

FT Gathering in BsAs - Wednesday - Nov 30 - 6:30 pm
 

Invitation to all - stranded or otherwise.

Meet at the Hilton Hotel (Puerto Madero area) front desk - 6:30 pm (18:30) - Wednesday - November 30, 2005.

Ask around for Mary or Joan (5'6" blond - wearing a light black checked jacket) - Maybe we will have a big "FT" sign to look for - or head in to the bar and ask again, if you come later - we will be drinking wines from THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ANDES.

Leaving now, see you Wednesday night
 

We will be meeting this WEDNESDAY in the Hilton lobby (don't know where Thursday came from). I will have my flyertalk.com luggage tag somewhere on me.....

Sorry to hear about your flights,,,, have you been able to find anything yet, We are here in bs.as but we stay at an apartment,,, we used to use cambermon hotel 30 Suipacha, it was around 40$ two years ago including tax breakfast its not bad, heard it went up like everything else, they have a website which is not accurate you should call directly they used to bargain
Also an offbeat kind of place in san telmo is Dandi Hotel ( check web site) its a tango hotel but they have very nice rooms, We know people who have stayed there)

If any of you are Hilton HHonors Elite members, you should meet at the Executive Lounge on the eighth floor.

If not, the Hilton lobby is rather expansive. The front desk is on the left side, and there is a bar area with tables and chairs on the right side. There is a pool (not for swimming) near the elevators, which is also a nice area to meet.

Across the street from the Hilton is a sidewalk with park benches near the fountain at the intersection. That is also a nice place to meet if the weather is pleasant.

There are also benches on the waterport side of the Hilton, with a nice view of the bridges, as well as the restaurants and shops on the other side. This is also a nice place to meet if the weather is pleasant, even in the evening.

Enjoy the Hilton — it is one of my favorites!

By the way, I was in a situation earlier this year that had me considering going to Iguazu by bus (which is supposed to be quite comfortable when choosing the most expensive seats) if I had to do so, but I still was able to fly there.

I personally would still try to make it to Iguazu and would strongly recommend going there — it was definitely worth it for me and I would go again if I could, even by bus!

Hilton front desk meeting place - Wednesday 11/30 - 6:30 pm
 

[QUOTE=Canarsie]If any of you are Hilton HHonors Elite members, you should meet at the Executive Lounge on the eighth floor.

If not, the Hilton lobby is rather expansive. The front desk is on the left side, and there is a bar area with tables and chairs on the right side. There is a pool (not for swimming) near the elevators, which is also a nice area to meet.


////////////Thanks for all the specifics about the Hilton - at this point let's make it near the ****front desk**** (sorry I called it the "lobby" - agree, too vague). Hopefully they will not be too busy and we can leave a message to tell others where to meet.

Off to LAX now for an overnight and then out on LAN601 - the long way to BsSa - with stops in Peru and Chile --until I get to the ....... right side of the Andes.

sbagal(joan)

[QUOTE=sbagal]I agree with Joan, lets meet by the front desk of the hotel tomorrow night at 630. I am staying on the executive floor so we can go upstairs to the 8th floor for a drink and perhaps go to dinner. I will make a reservation for 5 at Cabana Las Lilas for 730 or 8 for those who want to go to dinner. If others are interested, let me know as I will check email tomorrow midday before I make the reservation.
looking forward to meeting everyone.

Other than the drinks, as I do not drink alcoholic beverages, I have spent more than one evening doing exactly what you are doing, and you will not be sorry.

Caution: Be careful that you do not eat too much in the Executive Lounge, as the food and beverages there are plentiful and quite good — not that eating too much in the Executive Lounge stopped me from enjoying Cabaña las Lilas and finishing every last bite there as well!

I want to go back...

sbagal and others,

Thanks for all the suggestions. We are now happily relocated at the Malabia House, a lovely B&B in Palermo. We are glad to be in a quieter area for the rest of our trip, although we are sorry we couldn't make it to Iguazu. Now that we have these extra days here, we've decided to spend the day in Tigre and then to go the San Isidro horse track. I doubt very much we will be back in time to make it to the gathering at the Hilton. Wish we could meet up, but have a drink for us!

Flyertalk meeting tonight
 

Hi Everyone. Looks like sbagal, Mr. Silver Springer and myself tonight for a drink and dinner at Cabana Las Lilas. I will still make a reservation for 5 so others can join us. We are meeting at the Hilton lobby near checkin at 630.}

By the way, the Argentine airlines strike is still in full swing, we saw the demonstrations at the airport yesterday and read in the paper that the parties are far apart. The paper also said there may be a subway strike.

Still having a good time...

Made a reservation for 5 at Cabana Las Lilas for 730 tonight==its an easy walk from the Hilton. Looking forward to seeing folks....

Talked to the staff here at the Hilton and they said that due to the Argentine airlines strike people are being booked in hotels as far as 100km away.
Had a great 3 hour city orientation tour today by the company, Friendly visit, for $20