Norwegian Air Argentina (NAA) will receive its first aircraft—a nine-month old Boeing 737-800—in January 2018, bringing the Buenos Aires-based subsidiary of the European LCC closer to flight-operational status, the company said Dec. 14.
The 189-seat aircraft, which made its first flight in March 2017 and is presently operating in Europe, will be the first of 10-12 737-800s NAA is planning to operate during its first year of operations in Argentina.
Norwegian Group established its Argentinian subsidiary in January.  In October, the Argentinian National Civil Aviation Administration (ANAC) granted NAA concessions to operate 153 routes from the country.
“Argentina is an interesting market with great potential that fits Norwegian’s global strategy very well, combining affordable domestic and international flights,” NAA CEO Ole Christian Melhus said in May, on the occasion of the approval by Norwegian’s boardof the NAA operational plan. “We have been very well received by Argentinian authorities and look forward to a fruitful relationship going forward.”
Argentina is in the midst of a $1.4 billion overhaul of its air transport sector, putting resources into renovations of 19 regional airports and outdated ATC systems as well as navigational technology, country-wide. The plan, announced in March by Argentine president Mauricio Macri, calls for opening 135 new routes—including 77 domestic and 58 international routes—and a doubling of airline passengers to 21 million in 2019.
An ATW search on Norwegian’s flight booking site reveals the carrier will begin direct roundtrip flights from Buenos Aires to New York-JFK and London Gatwick on Feb. 15, 2018. On both routes, Norwegian will utilize one of its 787 Dreamliners. Domestic and international Norwegian Air Argentina branded flights and routes remain to be announced, though the company has said they would be by year-end 2017, pending government approval.