Norwegian Air Argentina
Norwegian Air Argentina S.A.U. is an Argentinian low-cost airline. The airline operates Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with bases in Buenos Aires and Córdoba. All aircraft are registered in Argentina.
On 4 December 2019, parent company Norwegian Air Shuttle sold the airline to JetSmart, which took over operation of the airline and its license with immediate effect, with JetSmart planning to merge Norwegian Air Argentina's operations with those of JetSmart Argentina.
History
Norwegian Air Argentina was established on 25 January 2017, in order to access future traffic rights to and from Argentina and South America for the parent company. Norwegian Air Shuttle, Norwegian Air International, Norwegian Air UK and Norwegian Air Argentina share the same branding under the Norwegian Group.The airline took delivery of its first aircraft, a Boeing 737-800, in mid-January 2018, and gained its air operator's certificate later that month. The aircraft was transferred from Norwegian's Irish subsidiary Norwegian Air International, and its Anders Celsius tailfin portrait was replaced by a portrait of Astor Piazzola, an Argentinian musician. However, according to Bjørn Kjos, the parent company's CEO, due to delays in Boeing 737 MAX deliveries resulting in further delays to the airline starting service, the aircraft was transferred back to operate on the Norwegian Group's network in Europe while the start of operations was moved from August 2018 to October 2018.
In August 2018, Bjørn Kjos announced that the airline would begin selling tickets from 4 September 2018, for flights beginning service on 16 October 2018. Upon ticket reservations opening, the first planned services were revealed to operate from Buenos Aires Aeroparque to Córdoba, Mendoza, Neuquén, Puerto Iguazú, Salta, and San Carlos de Bariloche. In preparation for the inaugural start of operations, the airline's first Boeing 737-800 was transferred back from Norwegian Air International and flown from Stockholm Arlanda Airport to Ezeiza International Airport between 5 and 6 October 2018, with technical stops at Gran Canaria Airport and Greater Natal International Airport, before the aircraft was ferried to Aeroparque Jorge Newbery on 15 October 2018.
On 16 October 2018, Norwegian Air Argentina inaugurated service with three daily round trip flights; the first flight operated as flight DN 6022 from Buenos Aires Aeroparque to Córdoba, taking off at 07:41 and landing at 08:45 local time, followed by a round trip flight from Buenos Aires to Mendoza and a second daily frequency to Córdoba.
In April 2019, following the grounding of the Norwegian Group's Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, the airline transferred one of its Boeing 737-800 aircraft back to Norwegian Air International to assist with the Norwegian Group's operations in Europe. In June 2019, the airline announced service to five additional destinations from Buenos Aires Aeroparque to begin from September 2019, consisting of Comodoro Rivadavia, Puerto Madryn, San Salavador de Jujuy, Trelew, and Ushuaia, however by September 2019, only the routes to San Salvador de Jujuy and Ushuaia ultimately launched.
Following the departure of Bjørn Kjos as parent company Norwegian Air Shuttle's CEO in July 2019, interim CEO Geir Karlsen stated that Norwegian Air Argentina's operations would be reviewed, with tickets for flights not being sold beyond 28 March 2020. On 4 December 2019, Norwegian Air Argentina was sold for an undisclosed amount to Indigo Partners subsidiary and Chilean low-cost airline JetSmart, which took over operations of the airline with immediate effect. For the months following the sale, JetSmart had planned to phase out the Norwegian brand and integrate the airline with its own Argentinian airline JetSmart Argentina. Norwegian Air Argentina's three Boeing 737 aircraft, owned by Norwegian Air Shuttle but registered in Argentina, were not among the company's assets sold to JetSmart, and were planned to be returned to Norwegian's Europe-based operations while JetSmart would instate Airbus A320 family aircraft in their place.
Destinations
On 25 October 2017, the National Civil Aviation Administration granted the airline permission to begin operations on 152 of the 156 routes it requested. The airline has also applied and been given approval for flights from Buenos Aires to Perth and has also requested to extend the flight to Singapore. This flight would route around Antarctica, taking advantage of the winds circling the continent., the airline operates to the following destinations:
| Country | City | Airport | Notes | Refs |
| Argentina | Buenos Aires | Aeroparque Jorge Newbery | ||
| Argentina | Córdoba | Ingeniero Aeronáutico Ambrosio L.V. Taravella International Airport | ||
| Argentina | Mendoza | Governor Francisco Gabrielli International Airport | ||
| Argentina | Neuquén | Presidente Perón International Airport | ||
| Argentina | Puerto Iguazú | Cataratas del Iguazú International Airport | ||
| Argentina | Salta | Martín Miguel de Güemes International Airport | ||
| Argentina | San Carlos de Bariloche | San Carlos de Bariloche Airport | ||
| Argentina | San Salvador de Jujuy | Gobernador Horacio Guzmán International Airport | ||
| Argentina | Ushuaia | Ushuaia – Malvinas Argentinas International Airport |