Several foreign low-cost carriers are interested in entering the Argentine domestic market, Minister for Transport Guillermo Dietrich told an aviation industry forum in Santiago last week.
Since coming to power in 2015, reformist Mauricio Macri and his centre-right coalition have set about dismantling ailing state-owned carrier Aerolíneas Argentinas' longstanding dominance in the Argentine aviation sector. Since that time, several new operators, ranging from regional carriers to foreign-backed budget airlines have emerged.
"We have no doubt that other airlines will come, there is interest from GOL Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes (G3, São Paulo Congonhas), from some other low-cost airlines," he told reporters.
Gol, however, told Reuters that while it continues to evaluate new opportunities, it does not, at this time, foresee any new operations in Argentina.
Three foreign airlines have already established and certified new Argentine carriers. Among the three are Avianca with Avian Líneas Aéreas (trading as Avianca Argentina), Norwegian with its Norwegian Air Argentina unit, and Spain's Air Nostrum which has a 49% stake in Flyest (and which has been linked to start-up LASA Líneas Aéreas). Bolivian regional specialist Amaszonas has also announced plans to establish its own Argentine unit - Amaszonas Argentina - at some point this year.
