Angry fliers riot, 'attack' check-in counters at Buenos Aires

[johnnymk]

I saw this on the news last night. I wonder if Youtube has anything on their site.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/2008/01/eze.html

Angry passengers at Buenos Aires' Ezeiza airport rioted over the weekend, attacking airline ticket counters, throwing computers and shoving security guards as frustration mounted over delayed and canceled flights, The Associated Press reports. The dispute apparently centered on Aerolineas Argentinas, which attributed its flight-schedule problems to a "labor conflict" with its unions for both pilots and ground workers. Union officials, however, say the problems were caused by overbooking.

Whatever the cause of the disruption –- which first began Thursday evening –- Aerolineas Argentinas passengers apparently reached their limit Saturday. Reuters says fliers "smashed ticket counters and threw objects at airline staff," adding "television images showed damaged ticket counters and broken glass in the main hall of the Aerolineas Argentinas terminal." The airline "abandoned" check-in counters and canceled flights Saturday after a check-in agent was allegedly assaulted by a passenger, according to Britain's Press Association.

"There's no one from the company, no one is showing their face or telling us when we're going to fly. We're stranded with children and the elderly," a woman whose flight to Venezuela was canceled told BBC News on Friday. Delays and cancellations apparently spilled into a fourth day on Sunday, according to China's Xinhua news agency. But things went more calmly on the ground -- thanks to police reinforcements. AP says "on Sunday, flights resumed and police patrolled the corridors as passengers, many of whom have waited for days for flights, slept on floors." About 5,000 fliers are thought to have been affected.

[guiseppewv]

Finally, our airlines are better than another country's airline.

[ShawnLee]

Finally, our airlines are better than another country's airline.

To be fair, no matter how bad I've had it on an airplane - I've heard enough stories to know that we'll ALWAYS have better airlines than some other countries out there. Haha.

Of course, you put that smiley there, and I just went and ruined the joke by explaining it but whatevs. I am Shawn, the killer of jokes, quips, and one-liners.