The disruptions that affected air travel in the Azores between May 31 and June 4, when persistent fog severely limited operations at Ponta Delgada’s João Paulo II Airport, once again exposed a reality that islanders know well: in an archipelago scattered across the Atlantic, transportation is not merely a service. It is an essential lifeline.
Flights were delayed, connections were missed, schedules unraveled, and travelers found themselves stranded. According to figures cited by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Angra do Heroísmo (CCIAH), the operational costs associated with the disruption may have exceeded €1.5 million in just a few days. Yet for the Chamber, the real lesson lies not in the fog itself. Weather, after all, is part of life in the Azores. The question is whether the regional air transport system is sufficiently designed to withstand the inevitable disruptions that weather will continue to bring.
It is within this context that the CCIAH has renewed its call for the phased creation of a Light Operational Base on Terceira Island, arguing that the current structure of the inter-island network remains overly dependent on a single operational center in Ponta Delgada.
The proposal is not presented as an attempt to shift the heart of the regional airline system from São Miguel to Terceira. Nor is it a call for duplicating expensive infrastructure. Rather, it is framed as a modest but strategic effort to introduce operational redundancy into a network that serves one of Europe’s most geographically fragmented regions.
A technical study commissioned by the Azorean Foundation – Da Silva Fernandes and submitted earlier this year to the Regional Government, SATA management, and political parties represented in the Regional Assembly, concluded that the current network configuration requires approximately 800 annual flight hours devoted primarily to repositioning aircraft and maintaining operational logistics. These flights generate costs without directly increasing passenger service or transportation demand.
According to the study, reducing a portion of these repositioning movements through the creation of a light operational base on Terceira could generate recurring annual savings estimated between €2 million and €2.6 million. Even after accounting for the operational costs of the new base, estimated at between €400,000 and €800,000 annually, the net financial benefit could range from €1.2 million to €2.2 million per year.
The argument, however, extends well beyond economics.
The study suggests that a network supported by two operational centers would be significantly more resilient when faced with localized disruptions. During the recent period of dense fog in São Miguel, several airports across the archipelago remained operational. Yet because of the network’s heavy dependence on Ponta Delgada, the ability to adapt and reroute operations remained limited.
Simulation models cited in the report indicate that introducing a secondary operational base could reduce the propagation of delays throughout the day, lower the probability of significant disruptions affecting later flights, and reduce the risk of cascading cancellations. Additional benefits would include less pressure on flight crews, greater flexibility in responding to weather events, reduced aircraft wear, and potentially longer fleet life cycles.
Passengers would also stand to benefit. A more balanced operational structure could provide improved schedules, shorter waiting times, and stronger connections between inter-island services and international flights serving the Azores.
The CCIAH’s broader argument is perhaps the most important one. Regional aviation in the Azores should not be evaluated solely on its efficiency during ideal conditions. It should also be judged by its ability to maintain service when conditions are far from ideal. Resilience, in an island region, is not a luxury. It is a necessity.
This discussion ultimately transcends airports, aircraft, and logistics. It is about territorial cohesion. It is about ensuring that every island remains connected, even when weather, geography, or unforeseen events place stress on the system.
The recent disruptions have reignited a debate that is likely to continue in the months ahead. Whether policymakers ultimately embrace the proposal or pursue alternative solutions, the conversation itself is valuable. The Azores depend on air transportation not simply for convenience, but for economic vitality, social mobility, healthcare access, education, tourism, and family connections.
The fog that settled over São Miguel for several days has now lifted. The larger question raised by those days, however, remains very much in the air: how should the Azores build an air transport network capable not only of operating efficiently, but also of enduring the challenges that inevitably come with life in the middle of the Atlantic?
Adapted from a story in Diário Insular, José Lourenço-director–Photos also from Diário Insular.
