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segment low cost in Argentina continues to grow at a significant rate, but surrounded by important challenges, especially politicians.
In an interesting new company report Routes, we can learn more in detail about the positive changes that the arrival of low-cost airlines have generated in Argentina, as well as the challenges they face.
Latin America continues to grow in aeronautics and the arrival of new competition has allowed this growth to be boosted, especially the low cost model, which is recognized for being a market stimulator, cases of growth of the entire industry have been seen since the entry of one of these on the 30%.
The case of Argentina
More than three million passengers have traveled on low-cost airlines in Argentina since the country's first low-cost airline, Flybonds, began operating commercial flights in January 2018, according to new figures published by the Argentine Ministry of Transportation.
The department said the milestone was reached in September 2019, where between 15 and 20 percent are passengers who boarded a plane for the first time.
The current Argentine Government has allowed airlines to expand nationally, approving hundreds of new national routes, as well as eliminating minimum price limits for tickets. Policies have encouraged more Argentines to take to the sky, changing from bus to air transport.
Flybondi became the first LCC in Argentina to do so, when 189 passengers traveled from Córdoba to Iguazú on 26 of January of 2018, while Norwegian Air Argentina made its inaugural flight on 16 October 2018, joining the Jorge Newbery Airport in Buenos Aires with Córdoba.
JetSMART Argentina became the third low-cost operator in the country on 10 april 2019, with its service between El Palomar and Mendoza.
A fourth operator, Buenos Aires International Airlines, also obtained a government concession to fly 178 national and international routes from Ezeiza International Airport, but this is still a project in development.
The latest statistics show that Argentine airlines welcomed 1,33 million passengers in September 2019, a 41% more than in the same month of 2015. The figure was also an increase of 6% in september 2018 and followed an all-time record month of 1,5 million passengers in August 2019.
OAG Schedules Analyzer data reveals that Flybondi, Norwegian Air Argentina and JetSmart Argentina together represented a 18.2 combined percent of weekly domestic seating capacity during September 2019, led by Aerolineas Argentinas and followed by LATAM Argentina.
It was also revealed that during September, 148,000 passengers connected directly between airports in the provinces of the country, without going through Buenos Aires. This represents an increase in 118 percent compared to September 2015. Córdoba – Salta is the busiest of these routes, with around 14,000 round-trip passengers in September 2019, a 33% more than the same month of the previous year.
In November, JetSMART Argentina plans to introduce five new national routes, including service to/from Buenos Aires, Iguazu and Rosario.
Norwegian Air Argentina has also added five new routes in recent weeks, from Buenos Aires Aeroparque to Comodoro Rivadavia (5 weekly), Jujuy (2x), Puerto Madryn (2x), Trelew (2x) and Ushuaia (2x). What's more, has increased frequencies on routes from Aeroparque de Buenos Aires to Neuquén and San Carlos de Bariloche.
not to be left behind, Flybondi said he has identified other 15 destinations you plan to fly to from Buenos Aires – Dovecote. A few days ago the airline opened a new international route between El Palomar Airport in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro Galeao, initially operating three times a week with Boeing aircraft 737. Frequencies will increase to four times a week in December and January.
The expansion of the three LCCs means there will be more than 19.6 million domestic seats available in Argentina this year, in front of the 16.5 million in 2017 before the introduction of low-cost carriers. Aerolineas Argentinas continues to be the largest airline in the country's local market, but its share of domestic seating has declined from about 75% on 2017 al 64% this year.
Nevertheless, as Argentina's low-cost market continues to grow, political uncertainties could derail expansion. The country's general elections take place at the end of October, and the chances of the current Government being re-elected, They seem more and more complicated.
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