Backlash Against Argentina’s Daylight Saving

Argentina moved its clock forward by one hour as part of an energy saving plan on December 30, 2007. In protest, the San Luis province reverted to its original time nearly one month later, setting it one hour behind the rest of the country. The time zone difference also generated complaints from some travelers.

San Luis – One Hour Behind

When Argentina’s national government recently decided to move the clock forward by one hour, not all locals supported this decision. The San Luis province pushed the clock back to its original time on January 21, 2008, putting it one hour behind other provinces.

The San Luis local government said its decision to not use the extended daylight saving hour proved to be beneficial for the province. According to government officials, San Luis was one of the provinces that achieved the most energy savings in the last week of January, after it reverted to its pre-daylight saving time.

The San Luis government claimed it consulted with various sectors of the community, including the business sector, in its decision to revert the clock one hour behind the rest of Argentina. The province’s Deputy Governor Dr Jorge Luis Pellegrini believed the national government’s daylight saving change did not allow for energy savings. He also said the province would take appropriate measures to use the energy efficiently.

Impacts on Travelling

The San Luis province was not the only critic of Argentina’s daylight saving extension.  There were a few complaints from travelers who booked transport tickets to Argentina prior to the time zone change and received mixed information on flight schedules.

However, companies such as Aerolineas Argentinas accommodated for the change by modifying schedules or issuing new ones for travelers. A spokesperson from Aerolineas Argentinas said the airline informed passengers on schedule changes and provided a 24-hour call centre.  “We advise passengers that the time in San Luis is one hour behind compared with the rest of the country. In the case of San Luis, passengers are generally happy about being informed,” the spokesperson said.

“Not all passengers can always be contacted regarding flight schedule changes, but we do our best to ensure that they are informed of schedule changes. We also try to provide a connecting flight for passengers to get to a destination on time, if necessary,” he said. “It is awful for passengers to stay at an airport or to sleep at an airport because their luggage is delayed in a transition or if there is a problem with their flight schedule. Aerolineas tries not to make too many schedule changes. We are always looking at ways to do things better.”

timeanddate.com tried to contact a few bus companies in Argentina but has not received a response.

Background

Argentina's Congress approved the daylight saving change as part of a broader government plan to conserve energy as the demand for power increases. It also planned to implement a package of measures, such as modernizing electrical systems and implementing new guidelines for working hours as part of its goal towards energy efficiency. These measures aim to achieve a reduction of emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, and to increase efficient energy use. The national government plans to turn the clock back to its original time on March 16, 2008.

Dates of daylight saving time 1985–2008

These are the dates Daylight Saving Time started and ended in San Luis, Argentina only.

Year	Start date	End date	Daylight duration
1974	Jan 23	May 1	14 weeks
1988–1989	Thursday, December 1, 1988	Sunday, March 5, 1989	13 weeks and 3 days
1989–1990	Sunday, October 15, 1989	Wednesday, March 14, 1990	21 weeks and 3 days
1990–1991	Monday, October 15, 1990	Friday, March 1, 1991	19 weeks and 4 days
1999–2000	Sunday, October 3, 1999	Friday, March 3, 2000	21 weeks and 5 days
2007–2008	Sunday, December 30, 2007	Sunday, March 9, 2008	10 weeks
2008–2009	Sunday, October 12, 2008	Sunday, March 8, 2009	21 weeks