Argentina: New Regulations Approved to Prevent Flight Congestion at Aeroparque
The Argentine government has approved a new interim regulation that redefines how flight frequencies and operational capacity are allocated at Buenos Aires’ Jorge Newbery Aeroparque, aiming to manage the growing flow of flights and prevent congestion.
The measure was published this Wednesday in the Official Gazette under Resolution 43/2025, signed by the Secretary of Transport, Luis Pierrini. It will be in effect until October 31, 2025, with the possibility of an extension if necessary.
For the first time, the Buenos Aires airfield has been declared a Level 2 or “facilitated” airport, a category defined by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for terminals with a likelihood of congestion during certain times or seasons.
A System Inspired by International Standards
The regulation seeks to bring transparency to slot allocation, optimize the use of infrastructure, and reinforce the sector’s competitiveness. To this end, it introduces the principle of “positive silence,” which automatically approves flight requests if the authority does not respond in a timely and proper manner.
It also incorporates the role of the “facilitator,” a position that will fall to the airport operator, who will be responsible for impartially authorizing schedules—referred to as “feasibilities.” This official will be required to receive itineraries, propose adjustments, and monitor compliance throughout the season.
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Furthermore, airport operators will be obligated to submit a Capacity Declaration before each season, detailing the availability of runways, aprons, and terminals, with a distinction between domestic and international flights.
Obligations and Penalties for Airlines
Airlines must submit their requests within the deadlines set by the Activity Calendar published by ORSNA (National Transport Regulation Body). They will be responsible for notifying changes, canceling unused slots, and strictly adhering to what has been approved.
The regulation warns that non-compliance may result in a loss of priority in future allocations. To resolve conflicts, preference will be given to services that have previously operated without modifications, year-round routes, and those with restrictions at one of their endpoints. Charter flights and ad-hoc operations will be given a lower priority level.
Official View: Efficiency and a Slot Market
The Minister of Deregulation and State Transformation, Federico Sturzenegger, highlighted on his social media that the new regulation represents a “global novelty.” He explained that the sustained growth of air traffic demands the optimization of existing infrastructure, and Aeroparque currently constitutes the main limitation for expanding the Argentine commercial aviation system.
Sturzenegger detailed that the resolution enables a slot market, allowing airlines to negotiate assigned schedules among themselves. If a company decides not to use a slot, it can transfer it to another without going through the authority.
“The change guarantees an efficient use of physical resources, such as boarding gates. The more efficiently Aeroparque is used, the greater the sector’s growth capacity will be without the need to expand infrastructure,” the minister stated.
In this sense, the measure eliminates the historical priority of Aerolíneas Argentinas in slot allocation and adopts objective criteria based on international standards.
A Long-Term Strategy
The government believes this framework will allow for better management of demand at a key airport due to its role as a hub for domestic traffic. The resolution introduces transparency and efficiency mechanisms with the potential to become a benchmark for other terminals in the country.
Meanwhile, all eyes will be on how airlines utilize the new possibility of exchanging slots and whether this innovative model succeeds in reducing congestion without the need for costly expansion projects.
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