LAN Argentina (4M, Buenos Aires Aeroparque) and its affiliated LATAM Group carriers on Friday halted all flights to and from Argentina for the time being in protest at Argentine state-run groundhandling operator, Intercargo's, unilateral decision to stop providing services to the carrier, effected on Friday May 17. Operations have gradually resumed again from Saturday morning. Reuters reports that Intercargo said LATAM "doesn't want to pay more than what was agreed initially" and said it is owed a debt of nearly 40 million Argentine pesos (USD7.6million). In its defense, LATAM claims that Intercargo was flouting two separate judicial decisions ordering it to get back to work. Sources privy to the conflict state that Intercargo was demanding the equivalent of USD18million a year to resume the provision of services. LAN Argentina operates 12 A320-200s and two B767-300s on domestic from Aeroparque and international services from Buenos Aires Ezeiza to Lima, Miami Int'l, Punta Cana, Santiago de Chile Int'l and São Paulo Guarulhos.

LAN Airlines (LA, Santiago de Chile Int'l) and its local Argentine subsidary, LAN Argentina (4M, Buenos Aires Aeroparque), have "sort of" resolved their impasse with Argentine state-run ground-handling company, Intercargo, though despite a court injunction ordering Intercargo "to maintain service delivery in the same manner and under the same terms of the service contract that binds the parties", LAN claims it is still not being able to fully access the aerobridges at Buenos Aires Ezeiza, resulting in huge delays. The dispute arose after Intercargo decided to hike its rates by 55% which LAN is understood to have balked at. Analysts have described Intercargo's move as "bizarre" given that LAN traffic makes up more than 70% of the company's revenue flow.

LAN Argentina (4M, Buenos Aires Aeroparque) is currently embroiled in a dispute with Argentinian ground handling services provider, Intercargo, over the latter's decision to hike its rates by 55%. According to press reports, LAN is understood to have balked at the increase, resulting in the current impasse in which LAN passengers are no longer able to deplane their aircraft via airbridges at all Argentinian airports. LAN and Intercargo's original contract was due to run until March 2014.

TAM Linhas Aéreas (JJ, São Paulo Congonhas) and LAN Colombia (4C, Bogotá) will both join Oneworld alliance according to an announcement made by parent LATAM Airlines Group. LAN Colombia will become an affiliate member of the alliance before the end of 2013 joining sister carriers LAN Airlines (LA, Santiago de Chile Int'l), LAN Argentina (4M, Buenos Aires Aeroparque), LAN Ecuador (XL, Quito Int'l) and LAN Perú (LP, Lima). TAM will leave Star Alliance during the second quarter of 2014 and join oneworld instead as it has already been widely expected ever since the merger of LAN and TAM into LATAM Airlines Group. In other news, TAM has converted outstanding Airbus Industrie (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) orders for 17 A320-200s and six A319-100s to 23 larger A321-200s. It currently operates 27 A319-100s, 85 A320-200s and nine A321-200s on short-haul flights.

Aerolineas Argentinas (AR, Buenos Aires Ezeiza) as well as subsidiary Austral (AU, Buenos Aires Aeroparque) and competitors LAN Argentina (4M, Buenos Aires Aeroparque) and Sol Líneas Aéreas (8R, Rosario, SF) have been forced to temporarily suspend operations to Neuquen until February 25 as the airport's runway had to be closed for scheduled runway repairs. Aerolineas typically operates six daily round-trips to the airport from Buenos Aires Aeroparque while LAN operates on the same route three times daily. In addition, Austral operates a daily EMB-190 service from Buenos Aires Ezeiza via Córdoba Int'l, Mendoza and Neuquen to Comodoro Rivadavia. Sol operates a daily Saab 340A flight on the same route but with flights starting/ending in Rosario, SF instead of Ezeiza.