João Paulo II Airport in Ponta Delgada will have 354,514 available seats for flights to São Miguel Island during the 2025/26 IATA winter season, a 1.9% increase compared to the previous period, according to data published by VisitAzores, responsible for promoting the Azores destination. However, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry considers it "insignificant and insufficient."

"The management of the Ponta Delgada Chamber of Commerce and Industry notes that the 1.9% increase in air capacity for the IATA Winter 2025/26 season for Ponta Delgada Airport is insignificant and insufficient," considering the increased supply this year and the "high seasonality index," reads a statement released by the business association of the islands of São Miguel and Santa Maria.

The CCIPD points out that Portugal remains the main market, with 278,876 seats and year-on-year growth of +3.5%, while other destinations "show different performance," citing growth in France (+22%) and Spain (+16%), but declines in the United States (-4%), Canada (-1.2%), Switzerland (-20%), and the Netherlands (-59%).

"Italy and the Czech Republic are no longer represented in the operation, as is Germany, which continues to not resume winter connections," warns the business association.

In the Portuguese market, Lisbon remains the main gateway with TAP (90,036 seats, +1%) and SATA (87,420, +1%). From Porto, Ryanair saw significant growth (12,847 seats, +36%), while SATA saw a slight decline (49,818 seats, -1%). In Faro, SATA recorded the largest relative increase (+44%), with 11,484 seats, and Madeira secured 18,414 seats (+3%), the association details.

The Chamber of Commerce's management also expressed concern about the "inconsistency" in the decision to open and close air routes, claiming that it indicates "a lack of consistency and coordination between air transport, tourism promotion, and the development of tourism offerings."

In the CCIPD's view, the situation "regrettably reflects market instability and a clear reduction in tourism demand."

On the other hand, they argue that Azores Airlines' decisions regarding the opening or cancellation of international routes should be "coordinated with industry stakeholders, particularly VisitAzores," otherwise they "fail to fulfil the mission of serving the Azores, as they rely on connecting traffic between Europe and North America, which does not generate value for the destination."

The business association also maintains that the closure of Ryanair's base in Ponta Delgada in the IATA winter 2023/24 season and the "limited growth in the number of seats offered by this airline this coming winter are a significant factor of uncertainty," especially when the hotel occupancy rate is "decreasing."

The CCIPD considers it urgent to implement an "integrated, effective, and sustainable" strategy that aligns air transport, promotion, and the qualification of the offer, to ensure stability, competitiveness, and sustainability for the Azores, which includes the island of São Miguel.