The Regional Government considers that the management concession contract of some national airports awarded to ANA - Aeroportos de Portugal "should safeguard the interests of the Azores" by establishing several rules that safeguard exemption from payment of airport fees at Santa Maria, Ponta Delgada, Horta and Flores airports for passengers travelling to other islands of the archipelago. In addition, the Government considers that port authorities should maintain other fundamental aspects, including the right to a prior hearing on the definition of airport public service or the stipulation of fees for regional airports.
In a report on the project law of the general legal framework of this concession, the Government of the Azores alerted for the non-existence of information about "the way how investments and public service standards will be defined" as well as for the need to include this prerogative in the concession contract in order to safeguard the specificities of airport services in the Region.
The Regional Government called for the importance of "assuring the introduction of some aspects that will improve the provision of airport services for Azoreans and the remaining passengers travelling to regional aerodromes." The enhancement of services at regional airports will ensure a 24 time-lapse for passengers in transit, the exemption from payment of airport fees for passengers travelling to other islands of the archipelago, the prior hearing in the definition of airport public service and the stipulation of fees.