Açores

News

Lei 23/2026 Rebuilds the Subsídio Social de Mobilidade Around Residency Tiers and a Pre-Authorisation Cap — How the New Mecanismo de Continuidade Territorial Reroutes Açores and Madeira Air Travel

Lei n.º 23/2026 (in force since 8 June) replaces the Subsídio Social de Mobilidade ex-post reimbursement with a four-tier residency matrix, a pre-authorisation cap routed through the new DSCT, and a €185M-2026 / €198M-2027 envelope. The eight-day operational tape has surfaced four friction points.

14 June 2026

News

Seguro and Montenegro Anchor the First Joint Dia de Portugal on Terceira and in Luxembourg as the Programa Regressar Crosses 40,000 Returnees Since 2017

The official Dia de Portugal, de Camões e das Comunidades Portuguesas (Day of Portugal, Camões and the Portuguese Communities) anchors in Angra do Heroísmo on Wednesday 10 June, with the formal military and civic ceremony on the parade ground at the...

10 June 2026

News

Assembleia da República Spurns PCP and Bloco de Esquerda Lajes Inquiry Proposals on 3 June — PSD, Chega, PS, IL and CDS Block Formal Probe of US Base Use During Iran Operations

Parliament rejected on 3 June PCP and Bloco de Esquerda proposals for a formal inquiry into the Government's authorisation of US use of the Lajes airbase during the Iran operation — PSD, Chega, PS, Iniciativa Liberal and CDS all voted against, leaving political scrutiny to the standing committee.

9 June 2026

News

Mecanismo de Continuidade Territorial Goes Live This Weekend — €119 Azores and €79 Madeira Round-Trip Caps Replace the Old €600 and €400 Reimbursement Ceilings

The new Mecanismo de Continuidade Territorial (Territorial Continuity Mechanism), Portugal's replacement for the old Subsídio Social de Mobilidade (Social Mobility Subsidy), entered into force on Saturday 6 June after publication in Diário da...

7 June 2026

News

SATA Air Açores Charters a 78-Seat Bombardier Dash Q400 From Luxwing for the 15 June – 15 August Summer Surge — Delayed Delivery of the Carrier's New DH4 Forces an ACMI Lease to Cover Inter-Island Capacity

SATA Air Açores charters a 78-seat Bombardier Dash Q400 from Maltese operator Luxwing for the 15 June – 15 August summer surge, after a delayed Bombardier OEM delivery left a peak-season gap on the inter-island route grid.

6 June 2026

Politics

Seguro Signs the Subsídio Social de Mobilidade Reform on Tuesday 26 May But Warns That Removing the Eligible-Fare Ceiling Demands Careful Regulation — Açores and Madeira Drop Contributory Status and Receipt-Submission From the Parliamentary Amendments

President António José Seguro promulgated on Tuesday 26 May 2026 the Assembleia da República decree that overhauls Portugal's Subsídio Social de Mobilidade (SSM) — the airfare subsidy scheme that underwrites travel between the mainland and the...

26 May 2026

Aviation

Açores Government Opens the SATA Internacional / Azores Airlines Sale With a 75% Minimum-Stake Floor — Caderno de Encargos Locks In 30-Month No-Layoff Cover, São Miguel-Terceira-Lisboa-Porto Routing and a Three-Year AOC

The Açores regional government's caderno de encargos for the SATA Internacional / Azores Airlines reprivatisation opens the private-negotiation phase with a 75% minimum-stake floor, a 30-month bar on collective dismissals, a three-year AOC and an HQ-in-Açores requirement.

22 May 2026