The year of 2023 was marked by many achievements and challenges for the SATA Group. Each of the areas that make up this group of companies was absolutely committed to doing more and better every day. We bring you a glimpse into some of the most significant projects of the year 2023, as we kick off the year 2024.

We continually improved our services

With the aim of providing a better travel experience to our passengers, we launched a new fare model with six different categories. Our passengers can now choose the fare that best suits their expectations, whether in Economy or Comfort Class. We started offering the Simple fare — the most economical and practical for those traveling with only hand luggage and who do not need additional services — in all our destinations. Thinking about the needs of our passengers who are in different destinations and time zones, our Contact Center is now available 24 hours, 7 days a week.

Our passengers can now pay for their flights using MBWay, Bizum, or instant bank transfer. With these payment methods, passengers simply need to use their smartphone to confirm the transaction. Members of the SATA IMAGINE program can use their points to pay less for their tickets.

We received a new airplane

We welcomed a new Airbus A320neo, an environmentally-friendly aircraft equipped with more powerful engines and sharklet wings. These features contribute to a reduction of up to 20% in fuel consumption, allowing greater operational efficiency and minimal environmental impact. The new Azores Airlines airplane has the word “PURE” on its fuselage, a symbol of our commitment to sustainability and a tribute to the natural beauty of the Azores.

We maintained our commitment to the sustainable recovery of SATA Air Açores

SATA Air Açores has successfully repaid the loan amounting to 60 million euros, which was obtained in December 2022. By implementing this measure, the company will realize savings of approximately 18 million euros in interest over the course of the next three years.

We achieved historic results

SATA Group reached a historic milestone in 2023, carrying more than two million passengers in just one year. This result represents an increase of 27% compared to 2022 and demonstrates the strong recovery of the group’s airlines after the pandemic.

Furthermore, Azores Airlines carried more than one million passengers in just nine months, exceeding expectations and the previous year’s performance.

We continued to focus on strengthening our Brand

We continued to invest in strengthening our Brand, consolidating our presence on social media with a significant increase in followers (18,815 until October 2023) and an average interaction between users and SATA of 17.22%. These numbers highlight the relevance of our channels in reaching out to the public and disseminating our news and promotions.

We have had a significant presence in the markets in which we operate, through offline and digital campaigns, and participation in fairs and events. In this way, we promote our brand and the destinations we offer, always highlighting quality and safety.

We continued to improve the communication and image of our brand, through the promotion of our destinations throughout the year, the renovation of our airplane cabins, which invite you to travel to the Azores as soon as you get on the plane, and the renovation of our stores , with the aim of making them more attractive and aligned with our brand.

This year, through our podcast “Voamos Juntos”, we introduced some of the SATA Group’s workers, revealing not only their professional activity in more detail, but also providing a glimpse of who they are outside their work environment.

We continued to mark the most special times of the year on board our airplanes, by offering treats to our passengers. At Christmas, for instance, we maintained the tradition of offering passengers who traveled with us on December 24th the holiday’s signature cake.

We continued to expand our routes

With the aim of expanding our routes and connecting points, we added new destinations and flights.

Still aiming to increase our network and range of partnerships, we signed interline agreements with Air Baltic and British Airways.

Azores Airlines has launched new routes to London, Bilbao and Milan, from Ponta Delgada, in addition to strengthening the connection between the the Azores and Algarve so our passengers can enjoy the sun and beach in the south of Portugal.

We reinforced our commitment to Sustainability

Between 2022 and 2023, we reinforced our commitment to Sustainability through more than 30 projects that not only reduced our environmental impact, but also strengthened our social alliances.

Thus, in environmental terms:

We were pioneers in Portugal in achieving IEnvA Certification (IATA Environmental Assessment) from IATA, which recognizes the good environmental practices of the SATA Group airlines. We have obtained IWT (Illegal Wildlife Trade) certification. Although we do not normally operate in regions where there is knowledge of the illegal trade of wild animals, we join the airline sector in raising awareness and monitoring the fight against this illegal trade.

We implemented and obtained certification for the Voluntary Carbon Offset Program (SATA ICOP), which allows our passengers to voluntarily offset the CO2 emissions of their flight. We actively participated in the development of the Roadmap for Carbon Neutrality in the Azores, a strategic document that defines goals, targets and actions to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 in the region. We were pioneering partners in the “IATA CO2 CONNECT” project, an IATA initiative to develop a carbon calculator that allows airlines to measure the environmental impact of each passenger’s flight, ensuring transparency and reliability.

We actively participated in the ANA Aeroportos Carbon Management Program, which enabled ACA certification – Airport Carbon Accreditation, levels 4 and 5. SATA Group’s companies are part of the “Aviation”, “Handling” and “Energy” working groups, in which joint environmental sustainability strategies are defined, with regard to carbon emissions, through the establishment of Partnership Plans.

We were part of the ““Working Group CAT 1”, a project coordinated by IATA, which aims to raise awareness of recycling on board, as well as influence the European Parliament on the need to review the ICW – International Cabin Waste (Category 1) legislation with a view to possibility of improving the management of catering waste produced on international flights.

For more information about the projects and measures we are involved in, within the scope of Sustainability, click here.

We invested in our Community

In 2023, we carried out several social initiaves that reflected our commitment to the community and the environment.

We highlight initiatives such as the students from Escola da Ribeira Brava’s trip to Terceira island, in partnership with Grace; the egg hunt with the children from the Lagoa daycare center; support for the travel of Sara Carreira scholarship holders; the sustainability action in coastal cleaning related to World Oceans Day; the food collection campaign for the local Food Bank and the collection of XXS gloves and boots for the HDES neonatology service.

We continued to invest in the well-being of our workers

In partnership with UPNDO, we launched an initiative that aims to improve the health and well-being of employees and, at the same time, support social causes. Through the UPNDO app, workers can convert their physical activity into donations to chosen NGOs. The most active users are also rewarded.

These were some of the highlights of 2023, but much more work was done and there would be much more to tell. Thank you for accompanying us and helping us to fly higher and further!

We will be counting on your preference in 2024!