The Pico Airport group warned that “it is impossible to fly” to that island next week because “there are no” seats on SATA, which justifies being a “normal situation” in high season and “not exclusive to the Azores destination.”

According to a press release from that citizens’ group, “next week it is practically impossible to get to Pico,” noting that the extra reinforcement flights that SATA scheduled on Pico routes “filled up quickly.”

“For last-minute reservations, seats are no longer available on flights, with passengers starting to book their trips to the nearest islands,” denounces the group, considering that reinforcements in the flight schedule should “be made according to demand and on time and not imposed to content discontent and fuss, without reason.”

The citizens’ group points out islands like Pico, “where there are simply no seats” on air connections, “are left without alternatives.”

These new weekly flights “imposed” by the guardianship “remove SATA’s capacity to meet real needs,” the group maintains, denouncing that the situation causes constraints for residents who need a “last minute” trip for professional or health reasons.

The Pico Airport group says the situation will “worsen in the coming weeks with the Pico summer festivities” and “the month of August also moving in the same direction.”

Questioned by the Lusa agency, the Azorean airline points out that this is “a normal situation for this time of year and not exclusive to the Azores destination,” recommending “booking seats as early as possible, in particular, considering the proximity of vacation periods and festive seasons.”

“Taking into account the growing attractiveness of the destination, even considering the reinforcement of capacity, it is natural that there is a greater demand for tickets,” explains a source from SATA.

In a written reply sent to Lusa, the Azorean air carrier said that the airlines of the SATA group reinforced the operation for the summer of 2023, having “increased the offer by 16% concerning the offer of Azores Airlines [which ensures connections outside the archipelago] and by another 4% in SATA Air Açores”, which ensures connections between the nine islands, compared to last year.

“At the season’s peak, the companies offer more than 524 inter-island flights per week and more than 232 flights to and from the Azores archipelago,” adds SATA.

In the particular case of connections to the island of Pico, the airline SATA Air Açores has strengthened the operation “with the offer of six more inter-island flights, compared to last year, reaching 88 flights per week”.

“During July, in particular, the increase in supply will be 11% compared to last year”, according to SATA.

From LUSA news service, in Açoriano Oriental newspaper, Paulo Simões-director.

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute and the Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures Department from Fresno State.