A New Era of Airline Travel in Argentina Is Already at Risk

  • Discount airlines worry about loss of champion as Macri exits
  • President-elect has signaled worry over Aerolineas Argentinas
Passengers board a Flybondi airplane at El Palomar Airport.Photographer: Pablo E. Piovano/Bloomberg
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Argentina’s airline passengers have been enjoying their first taste of the global boom in discount airlines. Now the shift to greater competition is under threat from a powerful potential foe: the country’s newly elected leader.

While President-elect Alberto Fernandez hasn’t detailed his plans for the industry, he emphasized during his campaign the need to boost state-controlled flagship Aerolineas Argentinas. His rival, departing President Mauricio Macri, championed policies that allowed budget carriers to vie more effectively for passengers starting last year.