Ponta Delgada, Portugal, May 5, 2026 (Lusa) - The spokesperson for the Portuguese Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Similar Establishments (AHRESP), Carlos Moura, said on Tuesday that, while the departure of Ryanair from the Azores is deeply concerning, the region remains a destination with internationally recognised appeal.
Moura said that Ryanair’s withdrawal from the Azores market “is very worrying for the tourism industry and, in particular, for the sectors AHRESP represents, namely tourist accommodation and catering”.
“This situation has a structural impact on a region where tourism plays a major role and where air connectivity is essential for economic survival,” he told Lusa.
The low-cost airline Ryanair ceased operations in the Azores on 29 March, citing high airport taxes and inaction from Portugal's government.
Between April 2015 and December 2024, Ryanair accounted for around 20% of the market share at Ponta Delgada airport, making it the third-largest airline in the region, behind Azores Airlines (34.4%) and SATA Air Açores (29.3%).
With its departure, there is estimated to be a loss of around 400,000 passengers annually and at least 130,000 seats during the peak season (July/August), according to AHRESP.
Carlos Moura also said that the impacts are felt across three interdependent areas, the first being mobility, since “any constraint on connectivity quickly translates into lower tourist demand, with knock-on effects on accommodation, catering, entertainment and local trade”.
The second area is price, as without this low-cost option, average travel prices are expected to rise, depending on the origin, the airline and the season.
On the other hand, he pointed out that tourism in the Azores maintained an “overall positive performance in 2025, with around 1 million guests and 3.1 million overnight stays”.
"Nevertheless, growth rates remained below those recorded in 2024, as the demand from some key international markets saw a decline. The Spanish market fell by 2% in terms of overnight stays and the French market by 1%.”
“Similarly, the US, accounting for 17% of overnight stays, grew by just 1.8% compared to 17.4% in 2024. This context of deceleration makes Ryanair’s departure even more worrying, as it removes a key competitive asset for the destination,” he said.
Currently, around 15 airlines operate to the Azores, with connections from 30 airports worldwide.
The future depends on the response of public authorities and airline operators, he said, adding that “it is essential to ensure a swift and effective response, which involves TAP and SATA/Azores Airlines stepping up their operations, in terms of the number of flights and fare competitiveness, attracting new low-cost operators, which was what Ryanair provided”.
He also said that the Azores remained a destination with enormous potential and international recognition, but that their competitiveness depends on air connectivity.
“Without swift solutions to ensure accessibility, in terms of frequency and price, the sectors AHRESP represents face a period of increased pressure, with real impacts on the economic dynamics of the archipelago,” he said.
JME/MYAL // ADB.
Lusa
