Flybondi will sue the province of Buenos Aires for an "illegitimate fine"

The airline Flybondi filed a lawsuit against the province of Buenos Aires to request the annulment of the $300 million fine imposed by the government of Axel Kicillof for alleged repeated violations, such as flight cancellations and rescheduling. The company maintains that the sanction is illegitimate and that the Provincial Directorate of Consumer Protection has no jurisdiction in aeronautical matters.

According to the airline, the resolution imposing the fine is legally flawed and the administrative procedure was carried out arbitrarily . In its legal presentation, the company argued that it was forced to pay the fine before obtaining a final judgment, which violates the principle of innocence and its right to a defense in court.

In its statement, Flybondi said that the Provincial Directorate is unaware of current legislation and that the aeronautical industry is regulated by the Aeronautical Code , under the exclusive supervision of the National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC) . The company emphasized that only the Federal Courts have jurisdiction to supervise and sanction airlines.

The origin of the sanction and the position of the Buenos Aires government

The Ministry of Production of the Province of Buenos Aires , led by Augusto Costa , imposed the fine on Flybondi at the end of January, after receiving 2,400 complaints from affected passengers. The province justified the sanction by arguing that the company continues to incur in repeated violations , such as:

• Frequent flight suspensions and rescheduling.
• Difficulties for users to contact the airline.
• Lack of clear options for rescheduling or refunds.
• Financial losses for passengers due to cancellations (hotels, transportation, excursions).
• Failure to publish general and specific contracting conditions on its website, as required by the Consumer Protection Law .

The national government's stance and the airline's performance

Beyond the provincial sanction, Flybondi 's operational problems were also under the scrutiny of the national government . In December, the National Transportation Secretariat ordered the airline to present a corrective plan to drastically reduce its daily cancellations.

The Executive said it is not seeking to sanction or fine the company, but rather to ensure that it operates efficiently and safely. It stressed that Flybondi has shown a willingness to improve its service, adjusting its fleet and restructuring routes to optimize the use of its aircraft.

Despite these efforts, the airline's punctuality figures continue to be worrying. According to the consultancy firm Adventus , Flybondi's average punctuality in January was 50.6% , and in the first half of February it fell to 30.6% , making it the most unpunctual airline in the country. In addition, it led the ranking of cancellations with 74% of flights affected.