Editing Aerolíneas Argentinas (section)

==History==
===Early years to privatization===
[[File:Aerolineas Argentinas DC4 atEZE 1958.jpg|thumb|An Aerolíneas Argentinas [[Douglas DC-4|DC-4]] at Ministro Pistarini International Airport, ''circa'' 1958]]
The history of the airline began in 1929, when [[Aéropostale (aviation)|Compagnie Générale Aéropostale]] (Aéropostale) started airmail operations between [[Buenos Aires]] and [[Asunción]] using [[Latécoère 25|Laté-25]] equipment, later expanding its network to cities located in [[Patagonia]].<ref name="Flight1958" /> Many [[French people|French]] pilots (including aviator and author [[Antoine de Saint-Exupéry]]) flew for the company in its beginnings.<ref name="Bumpy Ride" /> [[Argentine]] personnel replaced the Frenchmen as they gradually withdrew from the airline, and shortly after Aéropostale's Argentine subsidiary [[Aeroposta Argentina]] was formed. In 1947, this airline became a mixed-stock company in which the government had a 20% stake and private investors held the balance.<ref name="Flight1958" /> As Aeroposta expanded its network southwards and incorporated the [[Douglas DC-3]] into its fleet, another three mixed-stock companies were in operation at the time: ALFA mainly operated [[flying boat]]s northwards to the [[Mesopotamia, Argentina|Mesopotamia]], FAMA operated overseas services with [[Douglas DC-4|DC-4s]] as its mainstay equipment, and ZONDA was mainly concerned with operations in the northwest region.<ref name="Flight1958" /> These carriers became unprofitable and President [[Juan Perón]] had them amalgamated into a single [[state-owned]] company on 14 May 1949.<ref name="Flight1958" /><ref name=Comets/><ref name="FI1967" /> The state holding was officially rebranded as Aerolíneas Argentinas-Empresa del Estado.<ref name="FI1963-507" /> The four companies comprising the state holding ceased independent operations on 31 December 1949.<ref name="FI1963-507" />

[[File:Aerolineas Argentinas Comet Groves.jpg|thumb|left|An Aerolíneas Argentinas [[de Havilland Comet]] 4 at Idlewild Airport in 1965]]
Aerolíneas Argentinas started operations on its own on 7 December 1950.<ref name="FI2001-48" /> In February 1950, almost 10 months prior to the start of operations, five new [[Convair CV-240 family|Convairs]] were already acquired.<ref name="Flight1950-268" /> As early as 1950, the [[Douglas DC-6]] was added to the fleet and was used to launch a weekly Buenos Aires–[[Rio de Janeiro]]–[[Natal, Rio Grande do Norte|Natal]]–[[Dakar]]–[[Lisbon]]–[[Paris]]–[[Frankfurt]] flight in late 1950.<ref name="Flight1950-628" /> Soon afterwards, [[Douglas DC-4]]s joined the fleet and services were inaugurated to [[Santiago de Chile]], [[Lima, Peru|Lima]], [[Santa Cruz, Bolivia|Santa Cruz]], and [[São Paulo]]. By March 1953, the airline's network was {{convert|35000|mi}} long, flown with DC-3s, DC-4s, [[Douglas DC-6|DC-6s]], [[Convair-Liner 240]]s, and [[Short Sandringham]]s.<ref name="Flight1953-310" /> The company carried 291,988 passengers in 1954,<ref name="Flight1956-461" />{{#tag:ref|The figures for this particular year are discrepant as ''[[Flight (magazine)|Flight]]'' also informed the total number of carried passengers for 1954 to be 280,683.<ref name="Flight1955-304" />|group="nb"}} and 327,808 in 1955.<ref name="Flight1957-594" /> On 8 February 1957, it was reported that Aerolíneas Argentinas had ordered ten [[F-27 Friendship]]s.<ref name="Flight1957-193" />{{#tag:ref|Despite ''Flight'' confirming the order a week later,<ref name="Flight1957-225" /> the carrier never operated the type.<ref name="ATDB" />|group="nb"}} The [[De Havilland Comet|Comet]] had begun commercial jet services in the 1950s, and the carrier once again set the pace among the [[South America]]n airlines, when Aerolíneas' president [[Air Commodore|A. Cdre.]] [[Juan José Güiraldes]] persuaded [[President of Argentina|Argentina's President]] [[Arturo Frondizi]] to buy six of them,<ref name=Comets/> becoming the first overseas airline in ordering the type.<ref name="Flight1960-199" /> The first of these aircraft departed [[Hatfield Aerodrome]] on 2 March 1959; over 18 hours were needed for it to cover a distance of {{convert|7075|mi}} between Hatfield and Buenos Aires.<ref name="Flight1959-15" /> On 7 March, she was christened ''Las Tres Marías'' by Frondizi's wife Elena Faggionato at [[Ezeiza Airport]].<ref name="Flight1959-445" /> Comet flights to New York City began in May 1959.<ref name="Flight1960-589/90" />{{rp|589}}

[[File:Sud SE-210 VIN LV-HGX Aerol AEP 26.04.72 edited-2.jpg|thumb|right|Aerolíneas [[Sud Caravelle]] at [[Aeroparque Jorge Newbery]] Buenos Aires in 1972]]
In the early 1960s, the fleet consisted of four [[Comet 4]]s, four Convair 240s, 15 DC-3s, six DC-4s, five DC-6s and six Sandringhams, whereas the ten [[Fokker F27 Friendship|F-27s]] ordered in 1957 were still pending delivery.<ref name="Flight1960-489" /> The 1960s saw the carrier ordering the [[Hawker Siddeley HS 748|Avro 748]] turboprop airliner.<ref name="Flight1961-457" /> The aircraft started services on 15 February 1962 between Buenos Aires and [[Punta del Este]].<ref name="FI1963-507" /> The first flight for the [[Sud Aviation Caravelle|Caravelle]] in Aerolíneas colors was Buenos Aires–Santiago de Chile on 1 April 1962.<ref name="FI1963-507" /> In April 1965, the carrier had 5,960 employees, and the fleet consisted of three Comet 4s, one [[Comet 4]]C, three [[Sud Aviation Caravelle|Caravelles]], 12 DC-3s (three of them freighters), six DC-4s, three DC-6s and 12 [[HS-748]]s.<ref name="FI1965-563" /> In 1966, loans granted by the [[Ex-Im Bank]] and [[Boeing]] permitted the purchase of a number of [[Boeing 707-320B]]s in a deal worth {{US$|37000000|1966|link=yes}}.<ref name="FI1966-174" /> In November 1969, the carrier entered a pool agreement with [[Lufthansa]] covering services between Germany and Argentina.<ref name="FI1970-419" />

[[File:Aerolíneas Argentinas Boeing 707-387B Frankfurt am Main.png|thumb|left|A Boeing 707-320B at [[Frankfurt Airport]] in 1976]]
By March 1970, Aerolíneas Argentinas had a fleet of six [[Boeing 707]]s that served routes to Europe and the United States, three Caravelles 6Rs and four Comet 4s that flew regional services, and 12 HS-748s that flew domestically, whereas six [[Boeing 737-200]]s were on order.<ref name="FI1970-465" /> During the decade, the fleet had the arrival of three different aircraft types from [[Boeing]]: the [[Boeing 727|727]]—the first example entered the fleet in December 1977 on lease from Hughes AirWest and three more were ordered directly from Boeing<ref name="FI1978-6" /><ref name="FI1978-226" /> — the [[Boeing 737|737]],<ref name="FI1974-512" /> and the [[Boeing 747|747]].<ref name="FI1978-70" /> The incorporation of the [[Fokker F-28]] into the fleet in the mid-1970s, prompted the withdrawal of the last HS-748s, making the company to be the first South American airline in operating an all-jet aircraft park.<ref name="FI1975-89" /> Frankfurt, [[Madrid]], and [[Rome]] became the first destinations to be served with the new 747s, starting January 1977.<ref name="FI1977-103" /> Another milestone for the company took place in June 1980, with the first south polar scheduled service, linking Buenos Aires with [[Hong Kong]] via [[Auckland]].<ref>{{cite journal| title=Short hauls... |journal=Flight International |page=83 | url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1980/1980%20-%201695.html | date=12 July 1980 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120705060535/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1980/1980%20-%201695.html |archive-date=5 July 2012 |access-date=3 May 2012 |quote=Aerolineas Argentinas on 7 June inaugurated its Buenos Aires-Auckland-Hong Kong polar route. |url-status=live}}</ref> Late that year, a second-hand [[Boeing 747SP]] was acquired from [[Braniff]] for {{US$|51000000|1980}}.<ref name="FI1981-55" />

[[File:Aerolíneas Argentinas Boeing 747-200B LV-LZD LHR 1979-5-14.png|thumb|right|An Aerolíneas Argentinas [[Boeing 747-200B]] on approach to [[London Heathrow Airport]] in 1979]]
The airline was assigned by law the monopoly of international operations from Argentina in 1971.<ref name="Errores">{{cite news|title=Errores, trampas y fracasos |first=Ernesto |last=Cionfrini |url=http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=314118 |work=[[La Nación]] |date=21 June 2001 |language=es |trans-title=Errors, traps and failures |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805202027/http://www.lanacion.com.ar/314118-errores-trampas-y-fracasos |archive-date=5 August 2011 |access-date=18 June 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> This meant no other Argentine airline was able to operate international flights, let alone the already created [[Austral Líneas Aéreas|Austral]]. The carrier therefore became the flag carrier of the country. The same law also assigned Aerolíneas Argentinas a 50% share of the domestic market.<ref name="Errores" />

Following the acquisition of Austral by the Argentine government in 1980, both Aerolíneas Argentinas and Austral became [[government-owned]], to the extent that some routes were simultaneously operated, even using similar equipment. However, a state of continuous tension existed over salary differences between both companies that eventually led the Aerolíneas Argentinas' pilots to a three-week-long strike that started on 1 July 1986.<ref name="FI1986-7" /> During this strike, the government leased pilots from the [[Argentine Air Force]] to operate some aircraft. Other companies took advantage of this situation and gained the market share that Aerolíneas Argentinas lost, as domestic routes were operated by Austral, [[LADE]], and [[Líneas Aéreas Privadas Argentinas|LAPA]], and the government temporarily authorized foreign carriers to exploit the company's international routes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uala.org.ar/IMG/pdf/LV-24_La_gran_huelga.pdf |first=Pablo |last=Potenze |title=La gran huelga |language=es |trans-title=The large strike |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319195652/http://www.uala.org.ar/IMG/pdf/LV-24_La_gran_huelga.pdf |archive-date=19 March 2012 |access-date=18 June 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Using a Boeing 747-200, the airline operated the first transantarctic commercial flight on 7 June 1980.<ref>{{cite news |title=Album de vacaciones: lo que pasó y lo que vendrá. Vuelo a vuelo, cómo se conquistó el cielo |url=https://www.lanacion.com.ar/turismo/viajes/vuelo-a-vuelo-como-se-conquisto-el-cielo-nid204704/ |publisher=[[La Nación]] |date=17 December 1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117173359/https://www.lanacion.com.ar/turismo/viajes/vuelo-a-vuelo-como-se-conquisto-el-cielo-nid204704/ |archive-date=17 January 2021 |language=es}}</ref> During and shortly after the [[Falklands War]] in 1982, the airline was banned from British airspace. A flight from [[London-Gatwick]] to Argentina's capital was once scheduled, but because of the ban, passengers bound to Argentina had to change planes at [[Madrid-Barajas]].<ref>[http://www.aerolineas.com.ar/index_en.asp?pais=us&secc=1&subs=5 Aerolíneas Argentinas History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605140451/http://www.aerolineas.com.ar/index_en.asp?pais=us&secc=1&subs=5 |date=5 June 2012}}</ref>

In March 1985, Aerolíneas Argentinas had 9,822 employees. At this time, the fleet comprised one [[Boeing 707-320B]], one [[Boeing 707-320C]], seven [[Boeing 727-200]]s, 10 [[Boeing 737-200]]s, two [[Boeing 737-200C]]s, five [[Boeing 747-200B]]s, one Boeing 747SP, two [[Fokker F28-1000]]s, and a [[Fokker F28-4000]]. The international network radiated from Buenos Aires and served [[Asuncion]], Auckland, [[Bogotá]], [[Cape Town]], [[Caracas]], Frankfurt, [[Guayaquil]], Hong Kong, [[La Paz]], Lima, [[Los Angeles]], Madrid, [[Mexico City]], [[Miami]], [[Montevideo]], [[Montreal]], New York, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, [[São Paulo]], [[Santiago]], [[Porto Alegre]], and [[Zürich]].<ref name="FI1985-31" /> [[Sydney]] was first served in 1989, and flights to London resumed in January 1990.<ref name="FI1991" />

===Privatisation: 1990–2008===
{| class="wikitable toccolours floatright"
|+Position of the company upon the acquisition by Iberia and when it was sold in 2001
|-
!Item
!1991
!2001
|-
|Assets (without routes, brand, etc., US$ mil.)||align=center|{{nowrap|636<ref name=quiebra/>-776<ref name=vuelos/>}}||{{dunno}}
|-
|Annual balance (US$ mil.)||align=center|18||align=center|–390
|-
|Debt (US$ mil.)||align=center|0||align=center|900<ref name=vuelos/>
|-
|Aircraft (owned/leased)||align=center|28<ref name="Errores" />/1||align=center|1<ref name="Errores" />/43
|-
|Flight simulators||align=center|3||align=center|2
|-
|Number of employees||align=center|10,372<ref name="FI1991" />||align=center|6,734<ref name="La Marsans" />
|}
The privatisation of the airline started being considered under the government of [[Raúl Alfonsín]], when [[Scandinavian Airlines|SAS]] was proposed to become a 40% shareholder of the state company.<ref name=Battle/><ref name="game" /><ref name="SAS ach" /> This was firmly resisted by the [[Peronism|Peronist]] opposition.<ref name=quiebra/><ref name=peronista/> The staff had grown to 10,372 by March 1990.<ref name="FI1990-47" /> Late this year,{{#tag:ref|There is a discrepancy regarding the precise date of the award, as it was informed to be in July 1990<ref name="FI-1990-10" /> and in November the same year.<ref name=aprietos/>|group="nb"}} a [[consortium]] led by [[Iberia Airlines|Iberia]] and Austral's owner Cielos del Sur S.A. acquired an 85% stake in Aerolíneas Argentinas for {{US$|130000000|1990}} in cash, the same amount to be injected within a 10-month period, and a debt-equity exchange worth {{US$|2.01}}&nbsp;billion.<ref name=quiebra/><ref name="FI-1990-10" /> Another consortium led by [[Alitalia-Linee Aeree Italiane|Alitalia]], [[American Airlines]], [[KLM]] and [[Varig]] had earlier pulled out from the process.<ref name="FI-1990-10" /> Paradoxically, one of the first actions taken by the new Peronist government was to privatise the carrier, after airily opposing to the privatisation propositions of its predecessor.<ref name=quiebra/><ref name=peronista/> The sale of the airline followed the divestiture of the government shareholding in the [[ENTel|national telephone company]], which also took place in 1990 during the [[Carlos Menem]] presidency's privatization wave, intended to divest the participation of the state in a number of enterprises to reduce the US$40&nbsp;billion debt to foreign banks by {{US$|7}}&nbsp;billion.<ref name=Sale/> Aimed at favoring the privatization process, the government absorbed a {{US$|741}}&nbsp;million debt the company took between 1981 and 1982 for capitalization purposes.<ref name=quiebra/> Despite the carrier being regarded as overstaffed and [[bureaucracy|bureaucratic]], it was debt-free at that time, having an average profitability of {{US$|90|link=yes}}&nbsp;million a year;<ref name=quiebra/><ref name=teeters/> it actually had {{US$|719}}&nbsp;million in revenues for the year prior to the privatization.<ref name=Sale/> The privatization contract, which specified the buyer should pay {{US$|260}}&nbsp;million in cash and {{US$|1610}}&nbsp;million in [[external debt]] [[Bond (finance)|bonds]], was ratified by the [[Supreme Court of Argentina|Supreme Court]]. Furthermore, a clause enabled the buyer to indebt Aerolíneas Argentinas for the buyout process; this was reflected in the airline's 1991 [[Balance (accounting)|balance]], which included debts worth {{US$|390}}&nbsp;million for its own acquisition.<ref name=aprietos/> This privatization process was not ruled as illegal until 2009.<ref name=peronista/>

{| class="wikitable floatleft" style="width:17%; text-align:center; font-size:90%;"
|+ Revenue passenger-kilometers, scheduled flights only
|-
|Year||Millions
|-
|1950||253
|-
|1955||353
|-
|1960||592
|-
|1965||948
|-
|1969||1,615
|-
|1971||2,069
|-
|1975||3,441
|-
|1980||6,927
|-
|1989||8,254
|-
|2000||11,111
|-
|2008||12,107<ref name=informe>{{cite web|url=http://ww1.aerolineas.com.ar/arg/files/popupsPDF/informe.pdf |title=Informe de gestión y Plan de Negocios |publisher=Aerolíneas Argentinas |language=es |trans-title=Management Report and Business Plan |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140807134416/http://ww1.aerolineas.com.ar/arg/files/popupsPDF/informe.pdf |archive-date=7 August 2014}}</ref>
|-
|2009||11,477<ref name=informe />
|-
|2010||13,640<ref name=informe />
|-
|2011||13,649<ref name=informe />
|-
|2012||14,150<ref name=informe />
|-
|2013||17,753<ref name=informe />&nbsp;<small>(projected)</small>
|-
|2016||18,933<ref name="report2017" />
|-
|2017||20,390<ref name="report2017">{{cite web |title=Memoria y Estados Contables |url=http://www.aerolineas.com.ar/OfficeFile/E-commerce/MemoriayEstadoContableAerolineasArgentinas2017.pdf |access-date=31 May 2018}}</ref>
|-
|source||''<small>* ICAO Digest of Statistics for 1950–55<br />* IATA World Air Transport Statistics, 1960–2000</small>''
|}
Austral's owner Cielos del Sur S.A. was sold to Iberia in March 1991, further increasing the Spanish flag carrier's stake in the Argentine air market.<ref name="Path">{{cite web |url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Aeroliacute%3Bneas-Argentinas-SA-Company-History.html |title=Company histories: the path to Aerolíneas Argentinas S.A. |work=Funding Universe |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120122144708/http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Aeroliacute;neas-Argentinas-SA-Company-History.html |archive-date=22 January 2012 |access-date=28 April 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Aerolíneas Argentinas and Austral never merged throughout the private era, and remained as separate companies with the same shareholder. Iberia subsequently boosted its stake in the airline to 85% in April 1994 after a {{US$|500000000|1994}} cash injection.<ref name=quiebra/><ref name="American">{{cite news|title=American given all-clear to acquire stake in Aerolineas |author=Ramon Lopez |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/1998/07/15/39329/american-given-all-clear-to-acquire-stake-in-aerolineas.html |agency=Flight International |work=Flightglobal.com |location=Washington, D.C. |date=15 July 1998 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104044643/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/american-given-all-clear-to-acquire-stake-in-aerolineas-39329/ |archive-date=4 November 2012 |access-date=28 April 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=94 at a glance |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/1995/02/01/16774/94-at-a-glance.html |agency=Airline Business |work=Flightglobal.com |date=1 February 1995 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205161404/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/94-at-a-glance-16774/ |archive-date=5 December 2013 |access-date=28 April 2012 |quote=An Argentine federal tribunal clears the way for Iberia's $500 million injection into flag carrier Aerolineas Argentinas, taking the Spanish flag's stake in the carrier up to 85 per cent. |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Iberia/> Out of the remaining 15%, the [[Argentine government]] held the 5% stake it was initially assigned, while 10% belonged to the employees.<ref name=vuelos/> Furthermore, at this stage the Argentine government resigned to the voting privilege it had in the directory of the airline.<ref name=quiebra/> Iberia was subsequently obliged by the [[European Commission]] to cut its stake in Aerolíneas Argentinas as a condition for receiving state aid.<ref name="American" /> It thence reduced its participation to 20%, transferring the remaining 65% to Interinvest/Andes holding, a consortium comprising the [[Spanish government]] holding company ([[Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales|SEPI]]) – the actual owner of Iberia before it was privatised in 2001 – and banks [[Merrill Lynch]] and [[Bankers Trust]], among others.<ref name="American" /><ref name=Deja/> In July 1997, Iberia cut again its stake in Aerolíneas Argentinas from 20% to 10%, while [[American Airlines]]'s parent company [[AMR Corporation|AMR]] acquired a 10% stake of Aerolineas Argentinas/Austral's major stockholder Interinvest,<ref name="1997 at a glance" /> equivalent to a participation of 8.5% in both Argentine companies,<ref name="AA goes" /> with the commitment of finding investors for Aerolíneas Argentinas.<ref name="No Offer" /> AMR's 8.5% operation was finally cleared by the [[United States Department of Justice]] in early July 1998.<ref name="American" /> By that time, the Argentine government still owned a 5% stake in Aerolíneas Argentinas.<ref name="Survey" /> Losses had mounted to {{US$|927}}&nbsp;million since 1992,<ref name="reins" /> totaling {{US$|150}}&nbsp;million only for 1999. The restructuring plan presented by AMR, mainly aimed at reverting these losses, was rejected by the SEPI.<ref name="Erescue" /> Furthermore, given that the AMR Corporation did not find purchasers for the company, the SEPI put the control of the airline back into Spanish hands.<ref name="No Offer" /> The vacancy left in the management positions that followed the departure of the AMR holding from Aerolíneas was soon filled in by the SEPI. To protect the interests of the Argentine national carrier, the government suspended an [[open skies agreement]] between Argentina and the United States that would come into force in September 2000.<ref name="reins" />

The airline had 5,384 employees at March 2000. At this time, the aircraft park consisted of two [[Airbus A310-300]]s, four [[Airbus A340-200]]s, four Boeing 737-200s, [[Boeing 737-200 Advanced]], one [[Boeing 737-200C]], and nine [[Boeing 747-200B]]s, whereas six [[Airbus A340-600]]s were on order.{{#tag:ref|The airline never operated the type.<ref name="ATDB" />|group="nb"}} The list of international destinations served at the time was Asunción, Auckland, Bogotá, [[Cancún]], Caracas, [[Florianópolis]], Lima, Madrid, Mexico City, Miami, Montevideo, New York, [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]], Paris, Punta del Este, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Santiago, São Paulo, and [[Sydney]]; domestic services to [[San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca|Catamarca]], [[Comodoro Rivadavia]], [[Córdoba, Argentina|Córdoba]], [[Corrientes]], [[Esquel]], [[Puerto Iguazú|Iguazú]], [[Jujuy]], [[La Rioja, Argentina|La Rioja]], [[Mar del Plata]], [[Mendoza, Argentina|Mendoza]], [[Neuquén]], [[Posadas, Misiones|Posadas]], [[Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña]], [[Resistencia, Chaco|Resistencia]], [[Rio Gallegos]], [[Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego|Río Grande]], [[Rosario]], [[Salta]], [[San Carlos de Bariloche]], [[Puerto Santa Cruz|Santa Cruz]], [[Santa Fe, Argentina|Santa Fe]], [[Santiago del Estero]], [[Trelew]], [[San Miguel de Tucumán|Tucuman]], [[Ushuaia]], and [[Villa Gesell]] were also operated.<ref name="FI2000-54" />

[[File:Aerolíneas Argentinas MD-88 LV-VGB LGW 2002-6-23.png|thumb|An Aerolíneas Argentinas [[MD-88]] on short final to [[London Gatwick Airport]] in 2002]]
Allegations of corruption were made on the basis of the price paid by Iberia and the Spanish firm's ulterior conduct (including some convoluted lease-back operations), with the airline paying the price for its own purchase with its assets.<ref name=quiebra/> Subsequent management by American Airlines and SEPI drove Aerolíneas Argentinas into an almost terminal crisis in 2001.<ref name=teeters/><ref name="Adelay" /> In June 2001, the aftermath began after the airline filed for bankruptcy protection from creditors,<ref name=files/> and went into [[Administration (law)|administration]];<ref name=fresh/> the salaries were paid by the Argentine government, instead of using money coming from the SEPI.<ref name=conflicto/> The payment of salaries for the upcoming months was suspended, as the mechanics union refused to accept the reorganisation plan raised by the SEPI to keep the company afloat.<ref name="truth" /><ref name="bank" /><ref name="El pagos" /> On 6 June,<ref name=Madrid/> flights to Auckland, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, São Paulo, Sydney and Rio de Janeiro were halted.<ref name=vuelos/><ref name="Routes" /> Owing to a {{US$|15}}&nbsp;million debt with the fuel supplier,<ref name="SuspE" /> the suspension of the daily flight to Madrid, which also served Rome and was the last connection with Europe,<ref name="Acancel" /> followed a week later.<ref name=Madrid/> After this, most of the fleet was grounded, and only 30% and 10% of domestic and international flights, respectively, were operating.<ref name=fresh/>

The [[Grupo Marsans|Marsans Group]] acquired a 92% stake through its subsidiary [[Air Comet]] from the SEPI in late 2001,<ref name="fraude" /> and committed to inject {{US$|50}}&nbsp;million capital with the intention of resuming short– as well as long–haul services.<ref name=fresh/><ref name="Anears" /><ref name=brink/> The resumption of international flights started in early November 2001.<ref name=Madrid/><ref name="un vuelo" /> In July 2002, the airline and its subsidiaries employed 7,090.<ref name="Un grupo" /> The company exited bankruptcy in January 2003, and emerged from administration a month later.<ref name=brink/><ref name="Acourt" /> That year, the first profit in five years was announced, along with an important increase in market share.<ref name=plots/>

===Renationalisation: 2008–onwards===
{| class="wikitable floatleft" style="width:25%; text-align:center; font-size:90%;"
|+Aerolíneas and Austral net income
!Years
!Losses (in non-inflation adjusted pesos)
!Losses (in US dollars as official rate)<ref>{{cite web|title=Cotizaciones por fecha|url=http://www.bcra.gov.ar/PublicacionesEstadisticas/Cotizaciones_por_fecha.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814195158/http://www.bcra.gov.ar/PublicacionesEstadisticas/Cotizaciones_por_fecha.asp|url-status=dead|archive-date=14 August 2016|access-date=2020-08-15|website=[[Banco Central de la República Argentina]]}}</ref>
!Source
|-
|2008
|1,814,518,196
|525,490,355
|<ref name=":8">{{cite web|url=https://www.aerolineas.com.ar/Images/Conocenos/Informes/Documentos/MEM%20EECC%20ARSA%202009_20140626084249.pdf|title=Financial statements as of 12/31/2009 and 2008 comparison - corrected|publisher=Aerolíneas Argentinas}}</ref>
|-
|2009
|1,661,074,557
|437,124,883
|<ref name=":8" />
|-
|2010
|1,611,603,589
|405,332,895
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aerolineas.com.ar/Images/Conocenos/Informes/Documentos/MEM%20EECC%20ARSA%202010_20140626084209.pdf|title=Financial statements as of 12/31/2010 and 2009 comparison|publisher=Aerolíneas Argentinas}}</ref>
|-
|2012
|2,407,120,549
|489,451,108
|<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aerolineas.com.ar/Images/Conocenos/Informes/Documentos/EECC2013ARprovisorio_20140730051637.pdf|title=Financial statements as of 12/31/2013 and 2012 comparison - provisional|publisher=Aerolíneas Argentinas}}</ref>
|-
|2013
|2,781,683,300
|426,573,118
|<ref name=":9">{{cite web|url=https://www.aerolineas.com.ar/OfficeFile/E-commerce/MemoriayEstadoContableAerolineasArgentinas2014.pdf|title=Financial statements as of 12/31/2014|publisher=Aerolíneas Argentinas}}</ref><ref name=":10">{{cite web|url=https://www.aerolineas.com.ar/OfficeFile/E-commerce/MemoriayEstadoContableAustral2014.pdf|title=Financial statements as of 12/31/2014|publisher=Austral Líneas Aéreas}}</ref>
|-
|2014
|5,486,921,815
|641,670,192
|<ref name=":9" /><ref name=":10" />
|-
|2015
|9,278,058,094
|711,507,523
|<ref name=":11">{{cite web|url=https://www.aerolineas.com.ar/OfficeFile/E-commerce/MemoriayEstadoContableAerolineasArgentinas2016.pdf|title=Financial statements as of 12/31/2016|publisher=Aerolíneas Argentinas}}</ref><ref name=":123"/>
|-
|2016
|7,035,221,506
|442,745,217
|<ref name=":11" /><ref name=":123">{{cite web|url=https://www.aerolineas.com.ar/OfficeFile/E-commerce/MemoriayEstadoContableAustral2016.pdf|title=Financial statements as of 12/31/2016|publisher=Austral Líneas Aéreas}}</ref>
|-
|2017
|6,379,021,189
|342,057,011
|<ref name=":13">{{cite web|url=https://www.aerolineas.com.ar/OfficeFile/E-commerce/EECC2018AR.pdf|title=Financial statements as of 12/31/2018|publisher=Aerolíneas Argentinas}}</ref><ref name=":123"/>
|-
|2018
|21,804,470,692
|578,367,923
|<ref name=":13" /><ref name=":142">{{cite web|url=https://ww2.aerolineas.com.ar/OfficeFile/E-commerce/EECC2018AU.pdf|title=Financial statements as of 12/31/2018|publisher=Austral Líneas Aéreas}}</ref>
|-
|2019
|41,182,297,596
|687,632,286
|<ref name='statements2019AR'>{{cite web|title=Financial statements as of 12/31/2019|url=https://www.aerolineas.com.ar/OfficeFile/E-commerce/memoriaybalance2019.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118110643/https://www.aerolineas.com.ar/OfficeFile/E-commerce/memoriaybalance2019.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 November 2020|publisher=Aerolíneas Argentinas|ref=statements2019AR}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aerolineas.com.ar/OfficeFile/E-commerce/memoriaybalanceAU2019.pdf|title=Memoria y Financial statements as of 12/31/2019|publisher=Austral Líneas Aéreas}}</ref>
|}

In May 2008, an initial agreement between the Argentine government and Grupo Marsans in which the latter would decrease its participation in the airline to 35% was announced; in reducing their holding, Marsans would make room for new private investors, as well as for the [[government of Argentina]] to increase its stake in the airline from 5 to 20%.<ref name=under/><ref name=faces/> Amid accusations from Marsans<ref name=hits/> and following the disclosure of an agreement,<ref name="Other News - 07/17/2008" /><ref name=moves/><ref name="mars1" /> the Argentine government took the airline back under state control in July 2008, after acquiring 99.4% of the stake for an undisclosed price; the remaining 0.6% continued being owned by the company's employees.<ref name="Bumpy Ride" /><ref name=airline/> 

[[File:Airbus A340-313X, Aerolineas Argentinas JP7347337.jpg|thumb|An Aerolíneas Argentinas Airbus A340-300 on short final to [[Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport]] in 2012]]

At this time, the company had 40% of its fleet grounded.<ref name=buy/> The act renationalizing Aerolíneas Argentinas and its subsidiary Austral Líneas Aéreas was passed by the Chamber of Deputies in August 2008,<ref name="Ahurdle" /> and became law in September 2008 following the 46–21 vote in the Argentine Senate.<ref name="Other News - 09/04/2008" /><ref name=flag/><ref name=ley/> There were disagreements regarding the value to be paid by Grupo Marsans to the government.<ref name=Other11/> Negotiations fell through, and an administrator was appointed by an Argentine court in {{MONTHNAME|11}} that year to oversee the running of the company.<ref name=intervenes/> A vote by both the lower and the upper houses of the Argentine Congress in support of taking over the company and its subsidiaries took place in {{MONTHNAME|12}},<ref name=Other12/> when the Chamber of Deputies voted 152–84 in favor of the expropriation,<ref name=backs/> and the Senate approved the bill by a 42–20 vote.<ref name=Other/><ref name=takeover/>

In September 2011, the airline emerged from the reorganization proceedings it had filed in 2001.<ref name="airline-news-0908" /> In late November 2011, the government announced an austerity plan for the company to reduce the deficit it has been incurring since being taken over from Marsans; the plan included the revision of unprofitable routes, the reduction of pilot/aircraft pay rates, and the abandonment of obsolete equipment, among others.<ref name=gastos/><ref>{{cite news |title=Argentina Plans Big Overhaul Of Ailing Flag Carrier Aerolineas |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] | first=Shane | last=Romig |location=Buenos Aires |date=21 November 2011 |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/DJFDBR0020111121e7bln4e5d | url-access=subscription}}</ref>

Passenger traffic for the group reached a record 8.5&nbsp;million in 2013, a 57% increase from the time of its renationalization in 2008. Revenues rose to a record of US$2&nbsp;billion in 2013, an 85% increase from 2008 levels; losses likewise declined from $860&nbsp;million (78% of revenues) to $250&nbsp;million (12% of revenues). Corporate assets as of 2012 had tripled to over $1.6&nbsp;billion, as the group's fleet grew from 26 to 63 planes and the average age of same was reduced from 20 years to 7.5.<ref name=informe /> In 2017, projections for 2018 were given at 14.5&nbsp;million passengers and a loss of $90&nbsp;million.<ref name="Origlia">{{cite news |last1=Origlia|first1=Gabriela|title=Aerolíneas Argentinas licitará la renovación de su flota Embraer a inicios de 2018|url=http://www.lanacion.com.ar/2088687-aerolineas-argentinas-licitara-la-renovacion-de-su-flota-embraer-a-inicios-de-2018|access-date=6 December 2017|work=La Nacion|date=5 December 2017|language=es|archive-date=6 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206001022/http://www.lanacion.com.ar/2088687-aerolineas-argentinas-licitara-la-renovacion-de-su-flota-embraer-a-inicios-de-2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Between 2008 and 2021, Aerolíneas Argentinas received over $8 billion USD in subsidy from the Argentine government.<ref name=":0" />

=== Proposed privatization under Javier Milei ===
Following the election of [[Javier Milei]] as president of Argentina in 2023, he affirmed his intention to [[Privatization|privatize]] the airline again.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Argentina's Javier Milei faces airline privatisation backlash |url=https://www.ft.com/content/86b1cf94-ac3f-4b6c-b145-d8125aaf74fc |access-date=2023-12-02 |website=www.ft.com}}</ref> Under his proposal, shares in the airline would be handed over by the state to its workers along with an end in state support for the airline.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Argentina's Javier Milei faces airline privatisation backlash |url=https://www.ft.com/content/86b1cf94-ac3f-4b6c-b145-d8125aaf74fc |access-date=2023-12-06 |website=www.ft.com}}</ref> Unions have expressed opposition to the proposal with one union head promising violence before apologizing.<ref>{{Cite web |last3=Frydlewsky |first1=Kejal|last1= Vyas|first2= Ryan|last2= Dubé |first3=Silvina |date=2023-12-06 |title='El Loco' Won the Argentina Election Last Month With Outlandish Ideas. Now He's Backpedaling. |url=https://www.wsj.com/world/americas/javier-milei-argentina-president-inauguration-9574d812 |access-date=2023-12-06 |website=WSJ |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-22 |title=Privatización de Aerolíneas: el sindicalista Biró habló de "muertos" y horas después se retractó |url=https://www.lavoz.com.ar/politica/biro-advirtio-a-milei-por-una-posible-privatizacion-de-aerolineas-nos-va-a-tener-que-matar-y-cargar-muertos/ |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=La Voz del Interior |language=es}}</ref> Workers have also gone on strike over the issue.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 September 2024 |title=Milei moves to privatize flag carrier in standoff with unions |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20240927-milei-moves-to-privatize-flag-carrier-in-standoff-with-unions |access-date=28 September 2024 |website=France 24 |language=en}}</ref> On 21 December 2023, Milei announced a presidential decree to begin the process of privatization and transfer of shares, likely to employees.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gilbert |first=Jonathan |date=2023-12-21 |title=Milei Sets Up Aerolineas and YPF for Privatization in Argentina |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-12-21/milei-sets-up-aerolineas-and-ypf-for-privatization-in-argentina |access-date=2023-12-21}}</ref> He would also implement [[Freedoms of the air|open skies policies]] including [[cabotage]] to improve competitiveness.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Ceriotto |first=Luis |date=2023-12-21 |title=Decreto desregulador de Milei: el Gobierno entrega Aerolíneas a sus empleados y abre el mercado de cabotaje a todas las empresas |url=https://www.clarin.com/economia/gobierno-entrega-aerolineas-empleados-abre-mercado-cabotaje-todas-empresas_0_z94qnDuXJ4.html |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=Clarín |language=es}}</ref>