Ponta Delgada, Azores Islands, Portugal, Feb. 10, 2026 (Lusa) - The president of the Ponta Delgada Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Portugal's Azores archipelago said on Tuesday that the direct sale of Azores Airlines, with the regional government assuming its liabilities, could bring "advantageous" proposals for the Azores.
Gualter Couto, speaking to the Lusa news agency, said that since around 20 companies had submitted bids for the privatisation of Azores Airlines, and given the "new conditions" with the regional government of the Azores assuming the liabilities, "they may be interested in submitting proposals that are much more advantageous for the Azores".
In January, the Azores Airlines privatisation jury, in an interim report, proposed rejecting the proposal from the Atlantic Connect Group consortium, the only one admitted to the tender, on the grounds that it did not "safeguard the interests" of the Azores Airlines (SATA) and the region, according to a press release issued at the time.
The Ponta Delgada Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIPD) leader reiterated to Lusa that, as nine months ago, when the organisation's management took office and when the regional government of the Azores "changed the rules of the game by assuming SATA's liabilities, it made sense to cancel the tender and start again".
"That was not the understanding. Another nine months have passed and, at this point, we have learned that the only candidate in the privatisation process has changed some of the conditions of the rules of the game [specifications] and the jury is clear in rejecting it. From the moment the jury rejects the proposal, for us, that is a non-issue," said Gualter Couto.
He considered that it is necessary to "move on to the second phase" of direct negotiation and "hope that the next player will be important enough to lead the SATA group" and that "it will not weigh too heavily on the region's public accounts".
On 24 November 2025, the Atlantic Connect Group consortium submitted a bid of €17 million for 85% of the share capital of Azores Airlines, with the regional government of the Azores requesting an extension of the deadline for the privatisation of the company until 31 December 2026, which was accepted by the European Commission.
After the tender jury rejected the bid, businessman Carlos Tavares, from the Atlantic Connect Group consortium, considered that the "essential point" for the purchase of Azores Airlines is the assumption of liabilities by the region, otherwise there will be no deal.
In an interview with Lusa, Carlos Tavares considered this condition "sine qua non" (indispensible).
On RTP/Açores TV on Monday, the chairman of SATA's board of directors, Tiago Santos, considered that the consortium's proposal "does not serve the interests" of the group, the Azoreans and the Azores regional government.
In June 2022, the European Commission approved Portuguese state aid to support the restructuring of the airline, amounting to €453.25 million in loans and state guarantees, providing for measures such as a reorganisation of the structure and the divestment of a controlling stake (51%).
JME/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
