Ponta Delgada, Portugal, Sept. 11, 2026 (Lusa) - The Ponta Delgada Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIPD), in Portugal's Azores Islands, has asked the Competition Authority (AdC) to examine the market conditions for air services between the mainland and the Azores, where fares sometimes exceed €500.
The business association representing the islands of São Miguel and Santa Maria states that it has sent a letter to the Competition Authority following the analysis it has been carrying out on trends in airfares.
According to the CCIPD, in a statement, the data collected shows that, for both Azores Airlines and TAP, «the lowest fare classes are not regularly available», even when searches are carried out well in advance.
The association, chaired by Gualter Couto, has observed «a concentration of supply at significantly higher fare levels».«The CCIPD does not allege the existence of collusion between the two operators.
It considers, however, that the current market structure, following Ryanair's withdrawal, combined with the existence of commercial cooperation between TAP and Azores Airlines (a ‘code-share' agreement) and the observed behaviour of fares, warrants an in-depth analysis by the Competition Authority», the statement reads.
The Competition Authority itself, in an opinion issued in May 2026, identified «risks that closer ties between the two operators could reduce competitive pressure and lead to higher prices».
Among the examples cited by the CCIPD is a comparison of different routes operated by Azores Airlines.
For comparable periods, it is possible to find a flight between Praia, in Cabo Verde, and Ponta Delgada – with a flight time of around four hours – for around €218, whilst flights between Lisbon and Ponta Delgada – taking approximately two hours – have a return ticket figure of over €500.
The CCIPD acknowledges that flight duration is not the only factor determining an air fare, but argues that «differences of this magnitude», charged by the same operator, warrant «an in-depth analysis» of routes to the Azores.
In its view, the situation is «even more worrying when compared with the Lisbon–Funchal route».
«The analysis carried out by the CCIPD indicates that prices on the Lisbon–Ponta Delgada route are, at various times, nearly double the average prices found for Lisbon–Funchal, a route where there is greater competition between airlines», it warns.
Another issue is the unavailability of the lowest fares, even when searches are carried out well in advance.
In searches already carried out for August 2027 on the route between Lisbon and Ponta Delgada, the figure of €500 for a return ticket was found.
«Booking in advance should allow consumers to access more competitive fares, particularly when there is still ample time to plan the flight,» the organisation adds.
For the association, the trend in fares reinforces the warnings issued at the time of Ryanair's withdrawal from the Azores and calls for «effective scrutiny of the conditions of competition and capacity management policies» applied to air links to the Azores, «particularly when public operators and routes of structural importance to an island region are involved».
The association warns that the effects «do not fall solely on those who need to travel», but also affect the archipelago's competitiveness as a tourist destination.
The CCIPD argues that it is «essential» to restore effective conditions of competition on air routes to the mainland, to «ensure capacity management that is compatible with the destination's needs» and to guarantee that consumers have access, «on a regular basis», to the various fare classes advertised by operators.
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