The pilot union SPL at LATAM Airlines launched a legal strike at 00:00 hrs (Chile time) on 12 November after 97 % of members rejected the carrier’s final pay offer. Reuters reports that LATAM has cancelled 173 flights through 17 November, disrupting the travel plans of roughly 20 000 passengers and forcing the airline to rebook demand within 24 hours wherever possible.
While most affected legs are domestic Chile services, the walk-out also hits crews assigned to intercontinental rotations, including Barcelona–São Paulo and Madrid–São Paulo, routes LATAM expanded earlier this year. The airline currently operates 14 weekly Madrid-GRU and six weekly Barcelona-GRU frequencies, all on Boeing 787-9s. Contingency plans may see some Iberia codeshare seats downgraded or re-timed, and Aena’s slot coordinator has alerted handling agents at Madrid-Barajas (T4S) to expect late flight-plan changes until a deal is reached.
![LATAM pilots strike grounds 173 flights—Madrid and Barcelona long-hauls among services at risk]()
For Spanish corporates with operations in South America, the strike adds complexity at the worst possible moment: November is peak season for year-end project rotations and holiday travel bookings. Travel managers should verify PNRs even for flights showing “operational” status, as LATAM is swapping aircraft and positioning standby crews to keep wide-body services running. Passengers already ticketed may re-route via São Paulo on Iberia or Air Europa or connect through Bogotá with Avianca, but December seat availability is tightening quickly.
The dispute centres on restoring pre-Covid salary scales and scheduling buffers. Analysts note that LATAM, which exited Chapter 11 in 2022, posted a US$516 million first-half profit this year and faces pressure from unions across its subsidiaries. If the stoppage extends, EU261 compensation rules will not apply to flights departing Latin America, but duty-of-care obligations remain for employers under Spain’s workplace-risk law.
Bottom line: monitor the strike daily, hold extra travel budget for re-ticketing, and advise assignees to keep receipts for incidental costs.
While most affected legs are domestic Chile services, the walk-out also hits crews assigned to intercontinental rotations, including Barcelona–São Paulo and Madrid–São Paulo, routes LATAM expanded earlier this year. The airline currently operates 14 weekly Madrid-GRU and six weekly Barcelona-GRU frequencies, all on Boeing 787-9s. Contingency plans may see some Iberia codeshare seats downgraded or re-timed, and Aena’s slot coordinator has alerted handling agents at Madrid-Barajas (T4S) to expect late flight-plan changes until a deal is reached.
For Spanish corporates with operations in South America, the strike adds complexity at the worst possible moment: November is peak season for year-end project rotations and holiday travel bookings. Travel managers should verify PNRs even for flights showing “operational” status, as LATAM is swapping aircraft and positioning standby crews to keep wide-body services running. Passengers already ticketed may re-route via São Paulo on Iberia or Air Europa or connect through Bogotá with Avianca, but December seat availability is tightening quickly.
The dispute centres on restoring pre-Covid salary scales and scheduling buffers. Analysts note that LATAM, which exited Chapter 11 in 2022, posted a US$516 million first-half profit this year and faces pressure from unions across its subsidiaries. If the stoppage extends, EU261 compensation rules will not apply to flights departing Latin America, but duty-of-care obligations remain for employers under Spain’s workplace-risk law.
Bottom line: monitor the strike daily, hold extra travel budget for re-ticketing, and advise assignees to keep receipts for incidental costs.
