The Ryanair Group is threatening the regional government of the Azores that all flight connections to the archipelago belonging to Portugal could be cut in the 2023/24 winter flight schedule. The Ponta Delgada base would also be affected, because a Boeing 737-800 is stationed here. 

The background to the discrepancy is that, according to Ryanair, prices at Lajes (Terceira) and Ponta Delgada (São Miguel) airports have increased by around 26 percent. This would mean that it would become increasingly complicated to make attractively priced offers. The Civil Aviation Authority is being asked to reverse the recent fare increase, which was approved at the request of the private airport operator. Furthermore, it is demanded that the already officially approved reduction in the security fee should be implemented. 

Another aspect deals with the fact that Madeira and the Azores were generally excluded from the ETS program. Ryanair DAC Managing Director Eddie Wilson told the newspaper Jornal Económico, among other things, that the three points criticized would lead to costs increasing by around 13 euros per passenger. The manager puts the ETS exclusion alone at 10 euros. According to their own information, the average fare for Azores flights in 2023 was 41 euros. 

Wilson also emphasized that the benefits granted would not be exclusive to Ryanair, but would apply to all carriers. He feels misunderstood in this context, because it's not about grazing any subsidies, but only demanding that the fees are not increased further. 

For Ryanair, the Azores would also be a seasonal business. Some routes that are in the summer timetable would not be worthwhile in winter due to a lack of demand. Others, however, would be stable. Nevertheless, there are public threats that the Portuguese archipelago will not be headed for in the cold season if there is no movement in the cost dispute. Ryanair is the third largest operator of flights to the Azores Islands.