The SATA Group airlines reduced their losses in the first half of this year. Azores Airlines, responsible for flights between the Azores and the exterior, recorded a loss of 37.1 million euros, representing an improvement of approximately 3.9 million euros compared to the same period in 2025. SATA Air Açores, which operates inter-island connections, lowered its loss to 2.1 million euros, a reduction of 1.3 million compared to the first half of the previous year.
The SATA Group explained that the period's results were affected by the significant rise in fuel prices, which increased 29% compared to the same period, and by operational irregularities associated with adverse weather events. The economic impact of the fuel price increase was approximately 11.5 million euros at Azores Airlines and 1.5 million at SATA Air Açores. Azores Airlines' operating costs rose 4.8% to 142 million euros, with this increase due "entirely" to the rise in fuel prices, which represented 40.6 million euros.
Regarding Azores Airlines, which is in the process of privatization, operating revenues were 134.4 million euros, a reduction of 1% compared to 2025, although ticket revenue increased to 81.2 million euros, a growth of 4.4%. The company operated 5,037 flights, 8.1% fewer than in the same period of 2025, carrying approximately 701 thousand passengers and recording 249 cancellations, an increase of 104% with an estimated impact of four million euros. EBITDA was negative at 7.6 million euros, when in the same period of 2025 it had been positive at 300 thousand euros.
SATA Air Açores saw its revenues and costs decrease by 10% and 13%, to 54.9 and 52.1 million euros, respectively, maintaining a positive EBITDA of 2.7 million euros, an increase of 1.4 million compared to the first half of 2025. SATA Handling, which now operates as an autonomous company within the group, recorded a loss of 2.2 million euros and a negative EBITDA of 1.8 million euros in the first half.
