Returning to Argentina in 1991, Bettini served between 1993 and 1996 as the director of Aerolineas Argentinas. During part of his tenure in this position, he also worked as a lobbyist in Argentina for Spanish companies. Spanish politician and union leader Ariel Basteiro called this “the period of greatest depletion” for the airline, explaining that under Bettini's control its interests shifted from Argentina to Spain, specifically toward the Spanish state airline, Iberia. According to Basteiro, Bettini promoted a business strategy for the airline that involved borrowing a hundred million dollars, selling real estate, equipment, and aircraft, and cutting back on services. The result was a significant loss of market share to Iberia.
