In a statement, the citizens' group proposes that during the IATA winter season (International Air Transport Association), the daily flight between Terceira and Pico be maintained, and a daily flight between Ponta Delgada and Pico be implemented as a Public Service Obligation (PSO).

For the IATA summer, the group suggests increasing Terceira-Pico flights in the shoulder and peak seasons, and boosting Ponta Delgada-Pico frequencies accordingly.

Regarding the air link between Pico Island and Lisbon, which currently operates six weekly flights, an increase is also proposed, as the current service is “manifestly insufficient for the existing demand”.

Increasing flights

The group urges seven weekly flights to Lisbon to meet demand and free up seats on inter-island routes.

GAPix justifies the suggestions by stating that the region “is able to better respond to the effective demand on growing routes such as Pico”.

GAPix highlights that tourism in Pico is growing, so improved accessibility is needed for both residents and visitors.

It is stated that Pico Island, like other islands in the Azores, requires an inter-island air operation adapted to its needs.

In the statement, the group's spokesperson, Bruno Rodrigues, emphasises that there is a “lack of political courage to adjust the Public Service Operations (both inter-island and territorial) to the demand” for air service.

“There was no [political courage] in 2021 with the existing Public Service Orders for inter-island flights, and the same is true with the new Public Service Orders (2026) for flights between the mainland and the Azores, where nothing significant has changed, only adding another route between Terceira and Funchal,” he pointed out.

The Government of the Azores (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) on 11 June launched the tender for the concession of the regular public air transport service in the region's interior, with a base price of approximately €250 million for the period between 2027 and 2031.

The announcement of the procedure was published today in the Diário da República, and the base price is 249,750,000 euros.

The current contract was signed with SATA Air Açores on 28 September, 2021, for €140 million, beginning on 1 November of that year and ending on 31 October 2026.

The Government Council had authorised, at the beginning of June, the opening of a new tender, taking into account the approaching end of the concession contract and the need to ensure the maintenance of inter-island air links in the Azores, in accordance with the new Public Service Obligations, published in the Official Journal of the European Union, through information note no. C/2026/2989, of 29 May, 2026.

The deadline for submitting proposals for the new tender for the period between 2027 and 2031 ends on 11 August.

The award criteria include the required financial compensation (55%), the weekly frequency (15%), the weekly seat count (15%), and the weekly load capacity (15%).