3 days ago
Outrage as British Airways uses Argentinian name for Falkland Islands capital in 'disgraceful' move
British Airways has caused outrage after using the Argentinian name for the capital of the Falkland Islands on its in-flight entertainment systems.
Veterans of the Falklands war have branded the decision 'disgraceful' after BA's screens displayed the name 'Puerto Argentino', despite the islands being in British hands since 1833.
The UK's flagship carrier, which is owned by Spanish firm International Airlines Group, put the name in English in brackets underneath - something the airline is now urgently investigating.
Argentina has long claimed sovereignty over the islands and famously invaded them in 1982 in a bid to end British rule.
On the instruction of then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, British troops were deployed to the other side of the world to defend the islands, which are still classed as a British Overseas Territory today.
Falklands veterans said the fact the British name was not displayed was 'ludicrous' and 'disrespectful'.
Former head of the Royal Navy Admiral Lord West, who won the Distinguished Service Cross during the conflict, told the Sun: 'It's disgraceful. The Falklands are a British overseas territory and 99.9 per cent of islanders want to stay British.
'We have said very clearly there will be no discussions about sovereignty.
'For the flag carrier airline to give Port Stanley another name is unforgivable.'
And Lord West, whose HMS Ardent was sunk during the conflict, added: 'They should change it back as soon as possible. This is insulting to the population of Port Stanley.'
Argentina has long disputed the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, which have been in British hands for almost 200 years.
On April 2, 1982 a surprise raid on the capital, Port Stanley, saw Argentinian forces invade the territories and capture the city.
It was the beginning of a 74-day war that would see 255 British personnel lose their lives defending the islands.
The UK came out on top in the conflict, but Argentina still protests its ownership of the islands.
In the light of continued calls from the south American nation, a referendum was held in March 2013 in which 99.8 percent of islanders voted to remain a British territory.
In 2017, the county's senate voted to rename Stanley Port to Puerto Argentino and pledged to celebrate 'Sovereignty Day' there should they ever retake them.
The British military has maintained a presence on the islands since the end of the war, with a 2,000-strong garrison of troops and transport aircraft based at Mount Pleasant.
Last year, Argentina's President Javier Milei, an ally of Mr Trump, has said he will not relinquish the claim to sovereignty over the Falklands, but will not seek conflict with the UK.
Claims from the country's government have increased once again since the UK agreed to give up the Chagos Islands.
The Argentinian Foreign Minister Diana Mondino said in October: 'With concrete actions and not empty rhetoric, we will recover full sovereignty over our Malvinas Islands.
'The Malvinas [Falklands] were, are and will always be Argentine.'
The UN has also called on the UK and Argentina to resume talks about the future of the islands, led by the Special Committee on Decolonization.
A British Airways spokesperson told MailOnline: 'We're grateful this has been brought to our attention, and we are reviewing it with the third party supplier that provides the in-flight map service.'
