The Ponta Delgada Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIPD) sent an official letter to the Competition Authority (AdC) requesting a formal analysis of the competition conditions on air routes between mainland Portugal and the Azores. The business association states that fares in some periods exceed 500 euros.
The CCIPD is the business association for the islands of São Miguel and Santa Maria, in the Azores archipelago. The entity argues that the high costs of air travel represent a significant obstacle for economic activity and for the mobility of residents.
The Competition Authority is the body responsible for supervising and ensuring healthy competition in markets in Portugal, including the civil aviation sector.
The request comes in a context of ongoing concern about the cost of air travel to the Azores, an outermost region that depends almost exclusively on air transport for connections to the mainland.
