President Javier Milei took the first step to privatize state-run Argentine companies with a sweeping decree that opens the door for private business to take control of key sectors. Milei — a libertarian who wants to shrink government and deregulate to flip the switch on Argentina’s crisis-prone economy — announced a slew of reforms Wednesday night that would allow tens of state-controlled firms, many of them money-losing, to be sold off. “Repeal rules that impede the privatization of state companies,” Milei said in a televised message, listing the reforms in bullet points. He added that all state businesses would have their legal structure changed to fully clear the path to privatization. Milei campaigned on this message, mentioning national airline Aerolineas Argentinas, rail networks, state media companies, and water and sewage company AySA as assets to be sold to private operators. He also said he’d target state-run oil driller and refiner YPF SA and energy company Enarsa after a “transition” period. The only company Milei singled out in his announcement was Aerolineas, which the government has spent hundreds of millions of dollars a year to prop up. He said he’d authorized a handover of shares — likely to employees — and would at the same time free up Argentina’s air-travel industry.<br/>
unaligned
Porter Airlines’ CE says the carrier plans to announce several new airline partnerships in 2024, similar to its recently inked deal with Alaska Airlines, as the company continues on its aggressive expansion plan. “We expect to be announcing a number of new partnerships over the next year,” Porter CEO Michael Deluce said in an interview with Yahoo Finance Canada, adding that the airline is “in various stages of either negotiation or implementation” of codesharing deals with other carriers. “Porter’s broad domestic network is very attractive for partner carriers, and these sorts of partnerships allow greater penetration of markets you otherwise wouldn’t serve and really add traffic on an existing network.” Earlier this month, Porter signed a new deal with Alaska Airlines that will allow passengers to fly to 18 western US destinations, including Portland, Seattle, San Diego and Phoenix, via an Alaska Airlines connection. This came just two weeks after the company announced a joint venture with Air Transat, which expands on the existing codesharing agreement between the two carriers and will allow Porter access to Transat’s transatlantic and sun destinations. “It’s always about market expansion,” Deluce said. “These (partnerships) really widen the market size that you’re offering… it’s not traffic you otherwise would have had. So it allows you to bolster your frequencies on domestic markets, and make the overall offering stronger.”<br/>
Norway's competition watchdog said on Thursday it has approved the planned acquisition by Norwegian Air (NAS.OL) of domestic rival Wideroe after previously warning it could block the deal. "We have now concluded that this acquisition will not significantly hinder effective competition in the Norwegian aviation market," said Tina Soereide, the head of the Norwegian Competition Authority (NCA). The deal, valued at 1.13b Norwegian crowns ($110m) was announced in July, but the competition authority was concerned that the acquisition could significantly weaken competition in the market. The merger will leave only two carriers, Norwegian Air and SAS, to compete for customers in Norway. Wideroe is Scandinavia's largest regional-only airline, serving short-haul routes in a sparsely populated region with few train lines and challenging geography. However, after collecting and reviewing extensive documentation from the parties and other players in the market, the competition authority found insufficient grounds to stop the acquisition, the regulator said. "We are very happy with today's decision from the NCA and that they have taken our inputs into account," said Geir Karlsen, CEO of Norwegian. Stein Nilsen, CEO of Wideroe, which will continue to operate as a separate airline and brand, said he was looking forward to working with Norwegian and ensuring critical public infrastructure remains in Norwegian ownership. "I couldn't wish for a better Christmas present," he added.<br/>