Estado, regulacion de los mercados y estrategia empresarial en America Latina: Iberia, lineas aereas de Espana, en Argentina y Uruguay, 1966 -1975

The international market for air transport of passengers was subject to strong restrictions between the end of World War Two and the beginning of liberalization, started from 1978 in the United States. The regulations set up by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) included controls of flight frequencies and route capacities, high rates, and the establishment of the principle of bilateral agreements between governments. Under these conditions, competition among airlines was almost impossible. This article shows how the Spanish aviation company Iberia adopted mechanisms based on the establishment of alliances in order to circumvent regulations and to obtain traffic rights. The examples herein analysed are those of Aerolineas Argentinas and of the Uruguayan firm Pluna. In both cases, Iberia's strategy was based on technical and financial cooperation mechanisms in order to increase its revenues per ticket in the southern Atlantic regions. This strategy has also been put into practice by Iberia in other Latin America markets during that period previous to current deregulation.