NEWS | SATA Air Açores to fully absorb airport tax rise with no impact on passengers or Tourism
The update of airport fees applicable to aerodromes and airports under the jurisdiction of the Autonomous Region of the Azores will have no impact on passengers or regional tourism activity, as SATA Air Açores will fully absorb the increases associated with inter-island operations.
The Ordinance updating these fees has already been published in the Official Journal, covering traffic, ground handling, and occupation fees at airports and aerodromes on the islands of São Jorge, Pico, Graciosa, and Corvo, as well as at the civil air terminals of Lajes and Flores.
At aerodromes managed by SATA Gestão de Aeródromos (SGA), the update of traffic and ground handling fees corresponds to 40.79%. However, this adjustment exclusively impacts SATA Air Açores operations and will not be reflected in the costs borne by passengers.
The Government of the Azores, through the Regional Secretariat for Tourism, Mobility, and Infrastructures, emphasised that this measure is essential to ensuring the financial and operational sustainability of regional airport infrastructure without compromising inter-island air accessibility, the competitiveness of the Azores as a destination, or their economic and tourism development.
In the case of Lajes Civil Airport, there has been a 2.34% increase in ground handling and occupancy fees, in accordance with the provisions of Article 79 of Regional Legislative Decree no. 27/2025/A of December 30, which approves the Budget of the Autonomous Region of the Azores for 2026. Traffic fees remain unchanged.
Regarding occupancy charges at aerodromes managed by SGA, the new rates will apply only to future licences of use. Licences currently in force are subject solely to the annual 2.34% increase.
The Ordinance now published represents the first structural revision of these rates in about two decades. For approximately 20 years, the rates remained unchanged, gradually failing to keep pace with the rising costs associated with the operation, maintenance, modernisation and management of airport infrastructure.
According to Berta Cabral, Regional Secretary for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures, “changes in the economic reality, the growth in airport activity and stricter requirements regarding safety, maintenance and service quality have made it essential to carry out a gradual, balanced and responsible update of the fees applied, ensuring the sustainability of the infrastructure without affecting the Region’s competitiveness.”
The Regional Secretariat also pointed out that, even following this update, the rates applied at aerodromes managed by SGA remain substantially lower than those levied at Azorean airports managed by ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal (airport authority), thereby ensuring the attractiveness of regional air transport and the competitiveness of the Azores as a destination.
The new Ordinance also introduces an automatic annual adjustment mechanism indexed to changes in the average consumer price index. This solution will prevent large cumulative adjustments in the future, ensuring greater predictability, rate stability and financial sustainability in managing the Region’s airport infrastructure.
GRA/RÁDIOILHÉU
