President Javier Milei’s government has reached an agreement with Aeropuertos Argentina to prolong the firm’s concession of 35 national airports, with a possible seven-year extension on top.
Aeropuertos Argentina operates key strategic terminals, including Aeroparque Jorge Newbury, the Pajas Blancas Airport in Córdoba and Ezeiza International Airport, the nation’s main hub, accounting for roughly 90 percent of national air traffic. Its network employs more than 2,000 people and handles around 43 million passengers a year.
As part of the agreement, Aeropuertos Argentina – controlled by Corporación América, the conglomerate belonging to billionaire businessman Eduardo Eurnekian – will make additional investments of US$600 million, said local media. The firm previously invested US$606 million between 2021 and 2026 to modernise airport infrastructure.
Renegotiation of the firm’s concession began in 2020 under then-president Alberto Fernández, when a 10-year extension was agreed in exchange for a US$606 million investment from Aeropuertos Argentina 2000, the company’s former name. Since then, works have been carried out at Ezeiza, Aeroparque and several airports in the interior, including Formosa and Tucumán.
Fresh negotiations began after President Milei took office in December 2023. The head of state has ties to Corporación América: he worked as the group's chief economist from 2008 until 2021, before entering Congress, and two of his original Cabinet picks – Nicolás Posse, his first Cabinet chief, and Guillermo Francos, his first interior minister – also came from the Eurnekian-owned conglomerate.
– TIMES/NA
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