EdelweissAir has decided to expand its operations in the Azores, inaugurating a route that will connect Zurich to Terceira Island. This decision results from negotiations led by the Vice-Presidency of the Regional Government and involving the Civil Aerogare of Lajes and Visit Açores.

The new route will run once a week from June to September, “representing a unique opportunity to increase the visibility of Terceira Island,” according to a statement from the Vice-Presidency.

Artur Lima highlighted the importance of this new route, saying that “the introduction of the new route between Zurich and Terceira Island is a major step towards distributing tourist flows more evenly across our islands.”

“This expansion not only strengthens the connectivity of the Azores with Europe, but also boosts existing routes to the North American continent and promotes economic and social sustainability, directly benefiting the local community,” he said.

The new Zurich-Lisbon route will be operated using an Airbus A320-NEO, which, with 174 seats, will have the capacity to transport 2088 passengers to Lajes Airport during its planned operation period.

TWO WAY

The Vice-Presidency’s press release states that the creation of this new direct route from Terceira to Switzerland will facilitate travel for residents of Terceira Island to Switzerland and facilitate family visits, academic exchanges, and the search for new business opportunities.

In addition to the new route to Terceira, EdelweissAir will operate a new weekly frequency to the Ponta Delgada airport.

From May, the airline will introduce a second weekly service to São Miguel, which will continue until October. From June to September, a third weekly service will be introduced, providing more flexibility and convenience for travelers.

This action is linked to VisitAzores’ commitment to the Swiss market, which is tenth in the ranking of source markets for tourists to the Autonomous Region of the Azores. In 2023, 26,115 overnight stays were recorded, representing a 30% growth compared to 2022.

“With great interest and growing demand for nature destinations, where sustainability is the pillar of development of the travel and leisure sector, Swiss tourism finds in the Azores the refuge in nature so sought after and always in safety,” according to the Vice-Presidency of the regional government.

The island of Terceira has been gaining links with the outside world due to action by the vice-president of the regional government, which has already been highlighted by the local chamber of commerce and industry.

in Diário Insular-José Lourenço-director

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.