Airline strike in Argentina grounds thousands of passengers

A strike by workers of 2 of the largest airlines in Argentina caused the cancellation of dozens of flights and the grounding of tens of thousands of passengers Tuesday. Unions representing Aerolineas Argentinas and sister company Austral Lineas Aereas are demanding a 26% salary hike in line with the inflation rate. The Telam state news agency said that about 40,000 people have been affected and 300 domestic and international flights have been canceled by the 24-hour stoppage. The Jorge Newbery airport in Buenos Aires was inactive due to the strike, while several areas of the Ezeiza airport in the outskirts of the Argentine capital remained empty at midday. The president of the Aerolineas Argentinas group is criticising the unions representing the workers and says that the company might take legal action. <br/>