Massive flight cancelations as well as cuts to public transport and other services are the main visible effects of the ongoing 24-hour strike in Argentina called by unions to protest President Javier Milei’s labor reform.

Aerolíneas Argentinas and JetSMART have canceled all flights that were scheduled for Thursday. Flybondi and Latam are operating but have been forced to cancel or modify several services.

The strike has been supported by unions representing pilots, cabin crew members, and airport workers, including those providing front desk and runway services.

Cruise ships have also not been able to enter or leave Argentina since Wednesday due to a 48-hour port workers’ strike. This means that export ships are also not leaving the country.

Public transport in Buenos Aires City came to a near-total halt on Thursday as bus, train, and subway unions joined the measure. Some bus lines, mainly those owned by DOTA group, are the only ones currently operating.

Although bank workers union La Bancaria joined the strike, bank services will be partially operational. Business associations from the sector said they would “intensify efforts” to guarantee digital and in-person services. However, many banks remain closed.

The General Confederation of Labor (CGT, by its Spanish initials), the trade federation that decided the strike, said that the goal of the stoppage was to have a picture of “empty streets” as a showing of their opposition to the bill.

Aerolíneas Argentinas said they canceled 255 scheduled for Thursday across the country, of which 219 were domestic, 32 were regional, and four were international. Passengers were relocated to the closest flights scheduled to depart once the strike is over, according to the number of available seats.

Passengers with flights scheduled for Thursday are recommended to check their e-mails for notifications on cancellations and information on their new flight. Those who bought their tickets via a tourism agency should check directly with them.

The airline also modified and rescheduled flights that will take off after the strike to properly reorganize the schedule. In a statement, Aerolíneas Argentinas said they will dock pay from workers joining the strike.

Debido a las medidas de fuerza gremiales ajenas a la compañía, para el día jueves 19 de febrero, nuestra operación tuvo que ser modificada. pic.twitter.com/0ctjI6Bsxs— Aerolíneas Argentinas (@Aerolineas_AR) February 18, 2026

Debido a las medidas de fuerza gremiales ajenas a la compañía, para el día jueves 19 de febrero, nuestra operación tuvo que ser modificada. pic.twitter.com/0ctjI6Bsxs

JetSMART canceled 96 flights, including domestic and international. The company said that affected passengers can opt to change the date of their ticket cost-free. Those flights can be rescheduled for up to March 15, 2026. They can do it via the airline’s website here.

As for Flybondi, 72 flights will depart according to schedule, but another 28 were canceled, and many others suffered changes. This included transferring operations from Aeroparque Jorge Newbery airport in Buenos Aires City to Ministro Pistarini airport in Ezeiza, where they have their own runway handling services that are not affected by the strike.

Flybondi passengers whose flight was canceled or modified with a difference of over four hours from their original ticket can change their flying date for free here. The airline recommended passengers check the status of their flights here.

LATAM said in an X post that some flights might be affected by the strike. Passengers can opt to change their flight or date (within 2026) cost-free on the LATAM app or their website. They can also request a refund at no cost within the ticket’s validity period.

© Buenos Aires Herald