The AtlanticConnectGroup, the only consortium still in the running to privatize Azores Airlines (SATA Internacional), says it will formally challenge the jury’s recommendation that the Região Autónoma dos Açores reject its bid—escalating what has become a prolonged and contentious SATA privatization saga.

“In order to remove any doubt, the consortium will not waive its rights in a process that has lasted nearly three years and is prepared to defend them through all available legal avenues, both nationally and internationally,” the group said in a statement. The consortium includes Carlos Tavares, former chief executive of Stellantis.

On Thursday, AtlanticConnectGroup submitted a formal response to the jury’s opinion, arguing that the recommendation to exclude its proposal rests on “incorrect legal grounds” and on criteria “that do not appear in the procedure,” amounting to a decision driven by “a narrative rather than an objective evaluation.”

The consortium notes that the jury’s own report acknowledges “clear financial advantages” in its proposal—specifically that it would require no capital injection in 2026 and projects positive results by 2027. “Even so,” the statement adds, “and without forgetting that the consortium was asked to pay three times the initially foreseen price for a company whose losses have since worsened, the jury concludes that the proposal does not meet the objectives of privatization.” AtlanticConnectGroup calls that conclusion “manifestly inconsistent with the data contained in the report itself.”

The group also questions the jury’s assessment of the consortium’s suitability. After the jury said earlier concerns regarding the initial partners had been resolved, the entry of two widely recognized Portuguese businessmen—Carlos Tavares and Paulo Pereira—“which strengthened the value, financial solidity, and credibility of the proposal,” paradoxically resulted in a lower overall score, the consortium said. “This unexplained conclusion runs counter to economic and business common sense and comes dangerously close to an unjustified—and potentially defamatory—assessment,” the statement argues.

AtlanticConnectGroup further rejects what it calls an “unfounded” rationale for excluding the bid based on the view that the public seller should not assume responsibilities stemming from decisions made before privatization. “The obligations attributable to SATA Holding are duly identified, quantified, and reflected in Azores Airlines’ financial statements and accounts, and are therefore fully known and measurable,” the consortium said.

According to the group, it is the jury’s decision—not the bid—that raises concerns for the public interest. “The proposal presented and rejected reduces financial risk for taxpayers and creates conditions for the company’s economic sustainability. Ignoring a solution that simultaneously protects public funds, workers, and the Autonomous Region of the Azores is to stray from the true objectives of privatization,” the statement reads.

The consortium also points to agreements reached with unions and worker representatives that it says are now being disregarded. “As the airline’s greatest asset, no change will succeed without their involvement and support,” the group said. “Apparently, the sense of responsibility shown by pilots and cabin crew carries no weight in the jury’s eyes—legally, economically, or socially.”

Despite its sharp criticism, AtlanticConnectGroup says it hopes the opinion will be reconsidered “in light of the facts, the rules of the procedure, and the real needs of Azores Airlines,” and reiterated that it remains “available to build, together with the airline’s workers, a sustainable future that all can be proud of.”

In Diário Insular, José Lourenço-director

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