In a statement sent to the press, the Workers’ Committees of Azores Airlines and SATA Air Açores expressed “deep concern about the future of the SATA Group. In light of the news published in Diário Insular on December 28, involving Dr. Artur Lima, a member of the Regional Government of the Azores and SATA’s sole shareholder, we reaffirm our firm opposition to political interference in the management of a company that is vital for the connectivity and socio-economic development of our outermost region.”
Firstly, “SATA transcends the role of an air transport company. It is a symbol of the historic and vital link between the Azores, Madeira, the mainland and the Diaspora. Its mission is fundamental to tourism and the socio-economic progress of the island regions, being an anchor of survival and prosperity. Defending SATA means preserving our heritage and ensuring the future of our regional identity,” they reveal.
“The growing interference of political interests in SATA’s management has put the company’s operation and sustainability at risk. Decisions guided by partisan agendas, to the detriment of technical and economic criteria, generate inefficiency mismanagement and jeopardize the company’s future. We are concerned to ask whether the President of the Regional Government of the Azores agrees with his Vice-President’s statements that TAP provides a better service to the Azores than SATA. Such a position, if true, not only ignores the sacrifices and hard work of SATA’s workers, but also disregards the company’s crucial role in the daily lives of the Azorean people and in regional development,” the workers state.


“We demand independent management, led by experts in the sector and based on sound technical and economic principles. The company’s autonomy is essential to guarantee financial stability and the fulfillment of essential services. We also express our surprise and concern at the hasty sale of Azores Airlines to an interested party who had previously shown interest, but whose proposal was, at the time, rejected by the Region itself.”
The workers state that “this setback raises serious questions about the criteria adopted for the sale and the real objectives behind this decision. Furthermore, we consider the intention to separate and sell off SATA’s handling unit to be completely unbalanced, inappropriate and damaging. This service is an essential part of the company’s integrated operation and its financial viability. Its separation would further weaken SATA’s structure, harming workers, the quality of the service and, ultimately, the people of the Azores who depend on this operation.”
They also demand transparency and accountability: “The population has the right to know the true intentions behind political decisions that directly affect SATA’s future. We demand greater transparency in the actions of the government and in the management of the company, with the guarantee that all choices are made on the basis of detailed and consistent studies that consider the needs of the population and the sustainability of the service.”
“It is urgent that SATA be part of a national transport strategy that takes into account regional specificities. The company’s future needs to be guided by a public aviation policy that ensures regional development and the interconnection of the Azorean archipelago, Madeira and the mainland with quality, regularity and efficiency,” they appeal.


“This manifesto is an appeal to defend what is fair and necessary: a strong and independent SATA, capable of being a pillar of national and regional connectivity, promoting unity between the islands and with the rest of the world. We cannot allow a company that is essential for the development of our region to be used as a political instrument or to be at the mercy of partisan interests and hasty, poorly structured privatizations.”
“We conclude this manifesto with an appeal to civil society, regional entities and the central government: Do not allow SATA to become a pawn in the political war. We are fighting for the right to a better future, one that ensures our airline the place it deserves, with autonomy, responsibility and a firm commitment to the needs of island communities,” they conclude.

in Diáio dos Açores-Osvaldo Cabral, 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.