“Since the entry into force of the IATA winter season (October 27), it has been very difficult or even impossible to reach or leave the island of Pico, by air, on direct flights to/from Ponta Delgada,” the citizens’ group said in a statement.

According to GAPix, until the end of October (IATA summer, the official time of the international aviation agency, IATA), the island of Pico “had 16 weekly flights with Ponta Delgada” (in São Miguel, the largest island in the archipelago), but with the arrival of the IATA winter the route “is currently reduced to just seven weekly flights, which have proven to be insufficient”.

The group explained that, “for the third consecutive week since the IATA winter came into force, dozens of passengers and visitors are giving up traveling to the island of Pico due to the lack of flights”, which affects tourism and its economic development.

GAPix “also receive reports and outbursts from dozens of people with medical appointments in São Miguel, in the coming weeks, who are only able to book a trip via Faial, with all the added costs that this alternative entails”.

To overcome the situation, it is advocated that flight times on Tuesdays and Thursdays be revised.

On these days “Pico has two flights with an interval of just three hours” and in the afternoon “there are no flights, which limits the mobility of residents, requires an overnight stay when traveling for medical appointments, and prevents the resolution of issues by of businesspeople who need a short trip to Pico island”.

“The solution may involve increasing a new rotation, in the afternoon, with Ponta Delgada, on Tuesdays and Thursdays”, it reads.

GAPix will request an audience with the regional director of Mobility in the Azores, Francisco Bettencourt, and the regional secretary of Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructure, Berta Cabral, so that solutions can be found for these frequent constraints.

The statement recalls that the Azorean executive of the PSD/CDS-PP/PPM coalition “recently indicated that its priority was to combat the seasonality of tourism in the Azores”. However, it is said, there is “a permanent bottleneck in air access to the island of Pico”.

“The benefits implemented by this government with the Azores Tariff are constantly promoted, but with the expected increase in demand, the necessary response in terms of supply is not provided, putting the mobility of residents and Pico’s economy at risk”, concluded the group, referring to the regional fare that allows air travel for 60 euros (round trip) inter-island for residents.