BUENOS AIRES: Argentina has banned all internal and international commercial flights until September 1st as the country battles the coronavirus pandemic.
A decree from National Civil Aviation Administration asked airlines to refrain from selling tickets for departures over the next four months.
Argentina closed its borders to non-residents in March, imposing quarantine measures.
The country currently has nearly 4,000 confirmed infections, with 192 deaths, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University in the United States.
In response to the decision, aviation industry groups said thousands of people could lose their jobs.
Figures from the International Air Transport Association state the aviation sector is worth US$12 billion to the Argentinian economy, or 2.1 per cent of GDP.
Some 329,000 people hold jobs supported by the sector.
IATA also warned the decision was in breach of bilateral agreements.
Foreign tourism spending is worth over US$ billion a year, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation.
Officials from the National Civil Aviation Administration explained the decree was aimed at preventing airlines from ticketing flights not approved by the Argentine authorities.
