By Rodrigo Viga Gaier
RIO DE JANEIRO/SAO PAULO (Reuters) – The Superior Labor Court mediated this Thursday a first meeting between aeronauts who started strike earlier in the week and airlines, informed the parties involved in the negotiation.
The aeronauts’ strike began on Monday for an indefinite period. Flights do not take off at the country’s main airports from 6:00 am to 8:00 am, which has caused problems with delays and flight cancellations at several airports in the country.
The aeronauts ask for the restoration of inflation accumulated by the INPC and a real increase of 5%, while the first proposal of the companies forwarded to the TST provided for a real gain of only 0.5%.
The companies allege that they are suffering from cost pressure caused by the devaluation of the real and the impact of high aviation fuel prices. Despite this, demand for flights in the country grew sharply throughout 2022, generating record quarterly results for the sector.
According to data from the Voopter ticket price comparison service, the average price of round-trip tickets for January increased by up to 120%, in the case of the Santos Dumont (RJ) Guarulhos route, compared to January this year, rising from 970 reais to 2,132 reais. The Congonhas (SP) Santos Dumont route had an increase of 65%.
“We are on the fourth day of demonstrations… with flights delayed and canceled at airports and so far we have no concrete signal from the employers’ union of a new proposal. As long as there is not, we will keep the movement”, said the director of the union of aeronauts (SNA), Carlos Eduardo Monteiro, to Reuters.
The weather in the city of Rio de Janeiro was less rainy this Thursday, which helped to reduce inconvenience at Santos Dumont airport, which since the beginning of the week has had problems with delays and cancellations of dozens of flights.
“I arrived early for fear of delays and cancellations. I need to go to Manaus to see my grandchildren and that’s why I arrived five hours before the flight. I didn’t even sleep well that night because I was so worried,” Leonidia Ferreira told Reuters. “I was anxious and worried but I flew from Sao Paulo to here (Rio de Janeiro) calmly and with almost no delay”, said Flávia Marchiori.
This Thursday morning, due to the strike, Galeão airport (RJ) recorded only two delayed flights, the same number found in Guarulhos. But in Brasilia until 11am, of the 67 departures scheduled for this morning, 25 flights departed late.
The Brasília terminal is an important connection center for flights in the country and delays at other airports end up impacting the airport in the federal capital. Congonhas had this Thursday 37 flights delayed and 15 cancelled, while Santos Dumont recorded 35 delays and 11 cancellations.
(With additional reporting by Beatriz Garcia)
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