In September, the Argentine government declared transportation as an essential service and in October announced in the Official Bulletin its intention to privatize Aerolíneas Argentinas. Unlike many countries where airlines are privately owned, in Argentina the majority of airline companies are state-owned, with some exceptions such as Air China, Emirates, Air New Zealand, among others.
The Chamber of Deputies will soon resume the debate on the privatization of Aerolíneas Argentinas, despite the opposition from transport unions planning a strike. Tomorrow, an informative meeting will be held in the Transport and Budget committees with the intention of advancing the discussion on the project. Although a definitive agreement is not expected to be reached yet, there are three proposals under consideration, including one from the Executive Power and others from legislators of different parties.
In this context, aviation unions have been carrying out strikes that have caused inconveniences in flights and service suspensions. Despite the government's previous failure to privatize the airline, it now trusts that public opinion, following the inconveniences caused by the strikes, can favor privatization.
The Minister of Deregulation has warned that if privatization is not approved, they will take alternative measures such as transferring the company to the employees. Since the beginning of its term, the government has implemented various measures to deregulate the airline market, such as opening competition in airport services and allowing freedom in setting rates and frequencies. The discussion about the future of Aerolíneas Argentinas will continue in the coming weeks amid labor conflicts and political pressures.
