Ezeiza air cargo capacity falls 65% in peak blueberry season

By Tom Whitfield

Export cargo capacity at Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza International Airport (EZE) “declined by 65 per cent on 26 October compared with the annual average,” according to research by Rotate consulting manager David Bonomo.

Conqueror Freight Network reported that “14 airlines have temporarily suspended direct services to and from Ezeiza.” The count is wider than the four-carrier capacity snapshot and signals disruption across the airport’s direct network.

The disruption came during Argentina’s peak blueberry export season. Resurfacing at EZE is scheduled from 25 October to 11 November. The main runway has been shortened from 3,300 metres to 1,850 metres, a 1,450-metre reduction that limits aircraft payloads and fuel capacity.

That runway constraint is the mechanism behind the cargo shock. It turns an airport construction project into a network problem: each departure offers less usable freight capacity, and some services cannot be flown as scheduled.

What does this change for exporters?

Atlas, Lufthansa, American and Air France-KLM reduced cargo capacity at EZE to zero on 26 October. Rotate estimated that the four airlines represented more than 80% of the lost capacity. The withdrawal was therefore concentrated, not a uniform trim across the carrier base.

Iberia, LATAM and Air Class continued operating with 35% to 55% less capacity. Aerolíneas Argentinas and DHL increased capacity slightly. That mix leaves shippers with sharply reduced choices: some major airlines offered no cargo capacity at EZE on the reported day, while others retained only partial service.

For blueberry exporters, the first commercial consequence is a loss of usable lift during the peak export season. A booked flight may no longer carry cargo, and a suspended direct service can remove a gateway altogether. Forwarders must confirm aircraft capacity and onward connections before accepting commitments rather than rely on a published schedule.

The second consequence is schedule risk. Reduced lift can trigger schedule changes, capacity constraints and longer transit times during the restrictions. For exporters, a longer journey changes delivery timing and reduces the reliability of planned onward movement.

Some airlines are using Montevideo or Rio de Janeiro as refuelling stops to accommodate the runway restrictions. Iberia announced a Montevideo stop on its Buenos Aires–Madrid flights, while LATAM suspended the Santiago–Buenos Aires–Miami service.

The two responses have different effects. A refuelling stop can retain a city pair but lengthens transit; a suspension withdraws that route and leaves shippers and forwarders to find another routing. Carriers also face lower payload limits at EZE. Together, those constraints reduce schedule certainty and available cargo options at the same time.

That matters because the 65% figure measures one operating day, not a forecast for every day through 11 November. Carrier responses varied: three airlines cut capacity by 35% to 55%, two increased slightly, and four stopped cargo capacity entirely on 26 October. Buyers still need daily aircraft and routing information rather than treat the annual-average comparison as a fixed reduction for the full works period.

With resurfacing scheduled through 11 November, the restrictions will shape available lift through the peak blueberry export window. Any recovery depends on the work ending and normal runway operations returning. Until then, exporters should expect constrained capacity, changing schedules and longer transit times, while forwarders need to plan around fewer direct options and refuelling stops.