Aerolíneas Argentinas President Pablo Ceriani received certification on Monday from the Argentine Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC) that allows the airlines to operate jointly, with all flights operating under the Aerolineas Argentinas brand.
On Tuesday (December 1, 2020) Aerolíneas Argentinas announced the completion of their merger with Austral (which was accomplished on Monday, November 30th), when the airline’s President, Pablo Ceriani received certification from the Argentine Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC) that the carriers could operate jointly. All flights will now be operated under the Aerolíneas Argentinas trademark and code. The merger process began last May with the goal of promoting efficiency through the integration of operations to make the combined carrier more agile in the post-pandemic environment. The airline will create synergies and reduce costs through the integration of areas such as maintenance, pilots and crews, and by eliminating duplicate structures. Commenting on the completion of the merger via Twitter, Aerolíneas Argentinas’ President, Pablo Ceriani, said,
“Today is a historic day for Argentine aviation and for Aerolíneas Argentinas. We have completed the merger process with Austral and, as from tomorrow, our operations will be unified. This decision was promoted by the President Fernández and the merger has been completed within the estimated period. Our company was formed with the merger among 4 companies in the 50’s and today, a few days from the 70th anniversary, a new merger will become a landmark in its history. We set out to overcome this crisis and emerge stronger to face a complex future. The merger is an important step towards this goal. I would like to thank the members of Aerolíneas Argentinas and Austral who were part of the merger process for the huge work they carried out. As from tomorrow, our flag carrier will be a bit closer to the efficiency standards that we are all seeking.”
As part of the company’s transformation, Aerolíneas Argentinas is also creating two new business units including a cargo division and a new unit which will provide third-party aircraft maintenance. In 1990, Aerolíneas Argentinas and Austral operated under a partnership which was managed by Iberia. However, by 2001 the airlines were on the verge of bankruptcy and sold to the Marsans Group. In 2008, as both companies were going through a major crisis related to the global economic downturn, the Argentine Government regained control over the carriers. From 2008 through 2015 Aerolíneas Argentinas revitalized their fleet, built a flight simulation and pilot training center, built Hangar 5 (the largest in the region), joined the SkyTeam Alliance and inaugurated new federal routes, segments and corridors.
Source: Aerolíneas Argentinas