Strategic Plan for SATA addresses challenges of the future, assures Vasco Cordeiro
The President of the Government of the Azores assured today that the Strategic Plan for Grupo SATA was prepared "to address the future challenges" of the company in the face of the new situation of air routes in the Region.
"The debate on the situation of SATA cannot be dissociated from a significant change involving the context of the airline's operations. The Strategic Plan presented here was not defined in the light of the past, but to meet the challenges of the future," said Vasco Cordeiro in a speech delivered at the Legislative Assembly.
The President of the Government stressed that SATA no longer holds a monopoly over air travel in the Region and will have to face the increasing competition of other air companies. This factor should be taken into account by policy-makers in the Azores, whether they are in the Government or in the Legislative Assembly.
Vasco Cordeiro assured to the members of the Assembly that his Government is bound to the Strategic Plan developed for SATA and it is its duty to make sure that the Administration Board of SATA fulfils the plan.
For the President of the Azorean Government, the existence of a "preparatory work" and various proposals leading to different ways only proves that this company has worked and explored all possibilities, setting a path" for Grupo SATA in the coming years.
As for the new fleet, Vasco Cordeiro noted that it is not for the Government to tell SATA what type of plane it should choose.
"I hope that SATA will submit a technical, financial and commercial analysis on several planes and, according to the results, set the type of aircraft" that will be presented to the Government of the Azores, said Vasco Cordeiro.
In his speech, the President of the Government also stressed that the routes to European destinations were relevant to the Azores Tourism, which is evidenced by the number of passengers carried and overnight stays as well as by the number of jobs that depend on this decision.