FAQ’s
1. When did the new air passenger transport model enter into force in the Autonomous Region of the Azores?
2. What is a gateway?
3. Can I choose any of the available gateways to enter or leave the Azores?
4. What is the Social Mobility Aid?
5. Which legislation regulates the allocation of the Social Mobility Aid?
6. Who are the recipients of the Social Mobility Aid?
7. How can I apply for the Social Mobility Aid?
8. Which documents are required for the allocation of the Social Mobility Aid?
9. Which entity is responsible for the allocation of the Social Mobility Aid?
10. From which date will the Social Mobility Aid be paid?
11. What are the maximum fare charges incurred by the passenger after reimbursement?
12. How is the request for Social Mobility Aid handled if the booking is made at a travel agency?
13. How is the request for the Social Mobility Aid handled if the booking is made via internet?
14. What is the deadline for requesting the Social Mobility Aid?
15. If the recipient travels at the expense of a legal or individual person, can he/she request the reimbursement to the payment service provider? And what are the requirements?
16. When can I apply for the Social Mobility Aid?
17. What is the routing service?
18. Who provides the routing service?
19. Which passengers can use this service?
20. Is the routing service always free?
21. Where can I access this service?
22. How each of the access channels to the routing service works?
23. How long can I remain in the gateway, while having the possibility to access the routing service to another island?
24. Contacts
- Read more about the new air passenger transport model
1. When did the new air passenger transport model enter into force in the Autonomous Region of the Azores?
A: On March 29, 2015
2. What is a gateway?
A: It is any regional airport with direct links to external destinations (Santa Maria, São Miguel, Terceira, Faial and Pico).
3. Can I choose any of the available gateways to enter or leave the Azores?
A: Yes, the choice is free and is solely dependent on the most convenient option for the passenger. The Azores will function as a single airport.
4. What is the Social Mobility Aid?
A: It is the reimbursement paid by the State to resident passengers, citizens with resident status and students who use the regular air services between Mainland Portugal and the Autonomous Region of the Azores or between the Autonomous Region of the Azores and the Autonomous Region of Madeira.
5. Which legislation regulates the allocation of the Social Mobility Aid?
A: It is regulated by Decree-Law no. 41/2015 of March 24 in conjunction with Ordinance no. 95-A/2015 of March 27
6. Who are the recipients of the Social Mobility Aid?
A: All students and residents in the Azores as well as citizens with resident status. It applies to tickets purchased in economy class and corresponds to the total amount of air fares, airport fees and any charges billed to passengers arising as a result of recommendations issued by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) or the imposition of legal requirements, such as ticket issuance fee and fuel surcharge. It excludes optional products and services, namely hold baggage, selection of seats, check-in, priority boarding, travel insurance, bank charges, as well as other costs incurred after the purchase of the ticket. Please note that the amount paid for ticket changes will not be subject to reimbursement, since these charges are applied after the purchasing of tickets.
7. How can I apply for the Social Mobility Aid?
A: In order to apply for the social mobility aid, you should request the reimbursement to the payment service provider, the company CTT - Correios de Portugal, SA, (Portuguese Post Office), after making the trip subject to reimbursement, which should be duly proven. Passengers should go the offices of the payment service provider within 90 days from the date of the return journey or from the date of the outward journey, when the recipient bought a round-trip ticket (RT) or a one way-ticket (OW). This subsidy is only applicable when the eligible cost exceeds the maximum amount stipulated for a round trip.
The recipient is also entitled to combine an outbound flight ticket (OW) and an inbound flight ticket (OW). The subsidy will cover both tickets as long as the time period between the outward journey (OW) and the return journey (OW) does not exceed twelve months.
8. Which documents are required for the allocation of the Social Mobility Aid?
A: In order to request the social mobility subsidy, the recipient should present the following documents (original documents):
Boarding passes or boarding pass (in the case of a OW ticket),
- Invoice proving the ticket purchase. It should contain detailed information on the various components of the eligible cost;
- Taxpayer card to verify the passenger's fiscal residence in the Autonomous Region of the Azores in the case of residents and citizens with resident status, when applicable (the presentation of the citizen card does not require the presentation of this document);
- Document proving the identity of the recipient, such as the citizen card, identity card or passport;
- Document issued by Portuguese authorities stating that the identity card holder resides in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, if the identity document does not contain this information;
- Certificate of registration or certificate of permanent residence, if the passenger is a European Union Citizen, under the term of articles 14 and 16 of the Law no. 37/2006 of August 9;
- Residence card or permanent residence card, if the passenger, national of a Third Country, is a relative of a European Union Citizen, under the terms of articles 15 and 17 of the Law no.37/2006 of August 9;
- Valid residence permit, in the case of passengers who are nationals of a State that is not a member of the European Union and to which the provisions of articles 15 and 17 of the Law no.37/2006 of August 9 are not applicable.
9. Which entity is responsible for the allocation of the Social Mobility Aid?
A: The entity responsible for the allocation of this subsidy is CTT - Correios de Portugal.
Below you can find a list of CTT offices where payment services for the mobility subsidy are available:
- Vila do Porto - Santa Maria
- Antero de Quental - Ponta Delgada - São Miguel Island
- Vasco da Gama - Ponta Delgada - São Miguel Island
- Ponta Delgada Airport - São Miguel Island
- Angra do Heroísmo - Terceira Island
- Lajes Airport - Terceira Island
- Velas - São Jorge Island
- Santa Cruz da Graciosa - Graciosa Island
- Horta - Faial Island
- Madalena - Pico Island
- Santa Cruz das Flores - Flores Island
- Corvo - Corvo Island
- Calouste Gulbenkian - Funchal
- Funchal Airport - Funchal
- Lisbon Airport - Lisbon (Mainland Portugal)
- Restauradores - Lisbon (Mainland Portugal)
- Cabo Ruivo - Lisbon (Mainland Portugal)
- Porto Airport - Porto (Mainland Portugal)
- Município - Porto (Mainland Portugal)
- Faro Airport - Faro (Mainland Portugal)
10. From which date will the Social Mobility Aid be paid?
A: From April 20, 2015.
11. What are the maximum fare charges incurred by the passenger after reimbursement?
A: For residents in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, the amount is set at € 134.00 for flight connections to Mainland Portugal.
For residents in the Azores, the amount is set at € 119.00 for flight connections to the Autonomous Region of Madeira.
For students residing in the Autonomous Region of the Azores who study at educational establishments located in other regions and non-resident students who study in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, the amount is set at € 99.00.
If the flight connections are between the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira, the amount payable per passenger-student is set at € 89.00.
Regardless of the airline they choose to travel.
12. How is the request for Social Mobility Aid handled if the booking is made at a travel agency?
A: You should go to the payment service provider, CTT, SA, and present the documents required for that purpose.
13. How is the request for the Social Mobility Aid handled if the booking is made via internet?
A: You should go to the office of the payment service provider, CTT, SA, and present the documents required for that purpose.
14. What is the deadline for requesting the Social Mobility Aid?
A: The payment of the social mobility subsidy takes place at the moment of submission of the reimbursement request, provided that the conditions proving the eligibility of the request are verified.
15. If the recipient travels at the expense of a legal or an individual person, can he/she request the reimbursement to the payment service provider? And what are the requirements?
A: Yes, he/she can. As long as the invoice is issued to the collective or individual person and bears the name of the recipient and the respective taxpayer number. The invoice should be accompanied by other documents required for that purpose.
16. When can I apply for the Social Mobility Aid?
A: In order to benefit from the social mobility subsidy, you may request the reimbursement to the payment service provider (CTT, SA), after making the trip subject to reimbursement, which should be duly proven, within 90 days :
a. From the date of the return journey. For example:
PDL/LIS - April 2, 2015
LIS/PDL - April 8, 2015
The passenger may request the Social Mobility Aid from April 8, 2015, up to a maximum period of 90 days from this date.
b. From the date of the outward journey, when the passenger purchased a round-trip ticket (RT).For example:
PDL/LIS - April 2, 2015
LIS/PDL - April 8, 2015
b.1) The Social Mobility Aid may be requested from April 2, 2015, up to a maximum period of 90 days from this date or
b.2) the passenger purchased a one-way ticket (OW) and the eligible cost exceeds the maximum cost stipulated for a round trip (€ 134.00/€ 119.00 for residents and € 99.00/€ 89.00 for students, between Autonomous Region of the Azores/Autonomous Region of Madeira, respectively).
c. The recipient will also have the possibility to combine two tickets, an outbound flight ticket and an inbound flight ticket (two OW). The subsidy will cover both tickets as long as the time period between the outward journey and the return journey does not exceed twelve months.
17. What is the routing service?
A: It is a service, free of charge, for passengers travelling within the Autonomous Region of the Azores, to/from Mainland Portugal or Funchal, who wish to use any of the gateways in the Autonomous Region of the Azores with destination to any other island of the archipelago.
18. Who provides the routing service?
A: The provider of this service is the concessionaire of public inter-island air services, SATA Air Açores, SA.
19. Which passengers can use this service?
A: This service is available to any passenger, whether entering or leaving the archipelago.
20. Is the routing service always free?
A: Yes, provided that the connecting flight will depart within a maximum period of 24 hours.
Passengers will not pay for the connecting flight, regardless of the airline they choose to leave or enter the Region.
In the case of SATA Internacional and TAP, which have interline agreements with SATA Air Açores, the ticket may already include the connecting flight. In the remaining cases, passengers must request it.
21. Where can I access this service?
A: Passengers have the following options at their disposal:
a. Access the online routing portal of SATA Air Açores at http://encaminhamentos.sata.pt/
b. Go to the sales offices/counters of Sata Air Açores;
c. Contact the call centre of Sata Air Açores;
d. Go to a travel agent.
22. How each of the access channels to the routing service works?
22.1 Online Routings Portal
A: The passenger will have access to an online form. After confirming that he/she read and understood the rules and conditions on the issuance of connecting flight tickets, he/she is required to provide the requested information, namely:
a. Airline name;
b. Flight number;
c. Flight date and the respective times of departure and arrival;
d. Airline reservation code (Record Locator);
e. Ticket number;
f. Destination of the connecting flight;
g. Number of passengers per passenger type (adult, children and infants).
If the passenger wishes to acquire a round-trip ticket, he/she should fill in the information requested in the fields a), b) and c) for the inbound flight. After validating the request, the passenger will be presented a list containing all connecting flights and their availability, according to rules of the routing service. Upon choosing the desired connecting flight, the passenger should introduce his/her personal data. The connecting flight ticket will be issued only after validation of the data, within 72 hours. Routing services are only available for bookings on the airline's sales portal up to 120 hours before the scheduled departure of the flight.
22.2 Sales offices/counters
A: At sales offices and counters of SATA Air Açores, the passenger will be informed of all rules and conditions of routing services. In turn, the passenger should provide to the sales agent all the information and documents required to validate the eligibility for routing services. Once confirmed on-site the eligibility of the passenger, the booking will be made for the routes requested by the passenger, in accordance with the rules of the routing service. The concessionaire should give passengers the possibility to issue the ticket immediately after booking or within 72 hours. After this deadline, the reservation is automatically cancelled.
22.3 Call Center
A: While contacting the call centre, the passenger should be informed of all rules and conditions on the routing service. Passengers are allowed to book the connecting flight without presenting the flight document (itinerary booking or a ticket purchased at the airline that will carry them to/from the Autonomous Region of the Azores). However, the passenger is required to provide the necessary information for his/her personal identification. After making the reservation, passengers will have 6 hours to submit to the concessionaire the flight document provided by it; otherwise the reservation will be automatically cancelled. The reservation will be also cancelled if the flight document submitted by the passenger is not eligible for routing purposes. The connecting flight ticket should be issued within 72 hours after booking. After this deadline, the reservation is automatically cancelled. Routing is only available for bookings made at the call centre up to 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure of the flight.
22.4 Travel Agents
A: Travel agents can use the online portal and contact the call centre for the issuance of connecting flight tickets, but they must declare on the portal that they are doing so on behalf of passengers.
23. How long can I remain in the gateway, while having the possibility to access the routing service to another island?
A: The travel route, from arrival to the gateway to the departure of the connecting flight, cannot exceed 24 hours.
24. Contacts
Grupo SATA
www.sata.pt
[email protected]
Telephone: (351) 296 209 720 / 707 227 282
TAP – Portugal
www.flytap.com
Easyjet
http://www.easyjet.com/pt
Raynarir
www.ryanair.com/pt/
CTT – Correios de Portugal
https://www.ctt.pt/
Telephone: 707 262 626
Direção Regional dos Transportes
https://www.azores.gov.pt/Portal/pt/entidades/srtt-drt/
[email protected]
Telephone: (351) 296 206 308
NEW AIR TRANSPORT MODEL FOR THE ROUTES BETWEEN THE AZORES / MAINLAND PORTUGAL / MADEIRA
The new air transport model for the routes between the Azores, Mainland Portugal and Madeira entered into force on March 29, 2015.
Following the negotiations between the National Government and the Regional Government of the Azores, the new air passenger transport model for the routes between Mainland Portugal and the Autonomous Region of the Azores (RAA) as well as between the Autonomous Region of the Azores and the Autonomous Region of Madeira (RAM) came into force, with the support of the European Union. It comprises the following aspects:
Market access
§ Liberalisation of the access to the market of regular air passenger services between Mainland Portugal, Ponta Delgada and Terceira;
§ Amendments to PSO - Public Service Obligations in regard to regular air services Lisbon/Horta/Lisbon, Lisbon/Santa Maria/Lisbon, Lisbon/Pico/Lisbon and Funchal/Ponta Delgada/Funchal, and
§ Imposition of Public Service Obligations for air transport of cargo and mail on the flight connections Lisbon/Terceira/Ponta Delgada/Lisbon to foster air cargo services in compliance with quality and price standards. They are intended to provide a regular and effective response to the needs of the regional sectors with higher export potential, with an expected significant economic impact on wealth generation and employment creation.
Fare prices
§ Introduction of the concept of eligible cost: it is the ticket price, either a one-way ticket (OW) or a round-trip (RT) in Euros.
§ Implementation of the social mobility aid. The final cost to passengers, in any of the routes, either liberalised or not, can never exceed € 134.00 and € 99.00 on round-trips between the Azores and Mainland Portugal for residents and students, respectively. The maximum price is stipulated at € 119.00 and € 89.00 on round-trips between the Azores and Funchal for residents and students, respectively.
The final cost is the result of the sale price of the ticket deducted from the amount of the social mobility subsidy.
§ Liberalisation of passenger air fares and the applicable conditions to the air service between Mainland Portugal, Ponta Delgada and Terceira.
§ Implementation of Public Service Obligations in the routes Lisbon/Horta/Lisbon, Lisbon/Santa Maria/Lisbon, Lisbon/Pico/Lisbon and Funchal/Ponta Delgada/Funchal, without detriment to pricing freedom except resident and student fares, which are subject to the following conditions:
- Imposition of the maximum price of fares in economy class, without restrictions, of € 268.00 for round-trips (RT) or € 134.00 for one-way tickets (OW) as well as of € 198.00 (RT) or € 99.00 (OW) for residents and students on the flights between Mainland Portugal and the Autonomous Region of the Azores, respectively.
- Imposition of the maximum price of fares in economy class, without restrictions, of € 238.00 for round trips (RT) or € 119.00 one-way (OW) as well as of € 178.00 (RT) or € 89.00 (OW) for residents and students, respectively, on the flights between the Azores and Madeira.
Cargo
Stipulation of the maximum fare price for the transport of regional goods and products with export potential (fish, dairy products, perishable products, among others), with the aim of strengthening the competitive advantages of the sectors with higher export potential and encouraging the reduction of associated costs of air cargo.
State intervention
The "Social Mobility Aid" will be implemented following the entry into force of the new air passenger transport model for routes between Mainland Portugal and the Autonomous Region of the Azores and between the Autonomous Region of the Azores and Madeira. This subsidy has a variable amount per trip and is directly paid to the recipients who requested it, upon confirmation of eligibility (consult Decree-Law no. 41/2015 of March 24 and Ordinance no.95-A/ 2015 of March 27), regardless of the liberalisation of market, through the entity designated by the National Government, CTT - Correios de Portugal, SA. For both cases, the maximum fare price is set at:
Mainland Portugal - Azores
Residents: € 134.00 (round trip)
Students: € 99.00 (round trip)
Azores - Funchal
Residents: € 119.00 (round trip)
Students: € 89.00 (round trip)
This measure aims to safeguard the public interest in the provision of regular air services to residents in the Autonomous Region of the Azores as well as to the students who reside in the archipelago and study at educational establishments located in other regions and non-resident students who study in the Azores.
Under the amendments to the air transport model in the routes Mainland Portugal-Azores and Azores-Madeira, the concessionaire/operator of public inter-island air service is required to provide a routing service, free of charge, to passengers travelling within the Autonomous Region of the Azores, to/from Mainland Portugal or Funchal, who wish to use any of the gateways in the Autonomous Region of the Azores. The same applies to reservations and issuance of connecting flight tickets even when no interline agreement exists between the operator of public inter-island air transport services and the airlines carrying passengers from/to the Autonomous Region of the Azores.
Consult the following page https://www.sata.pt/pt-pt/viaje-connosco/encaminhamentos
For the remaining routes, Lisbon/Horta/Lisbon, Lisbon/Santa Maria/Lisbon, Lisbon/Pico/Lisbon and Funchal/ Ponta Delgada/Funchal, the service will be provided under PSO - Public Service Obligations.
INTER-ISLAND
The inter-island air transport of passengers is operated by SATA Air Açores. To make your reservation and consult the timetables and fares charged by the airline, visit the webpage of Grupo SATA at www.sata.pt/.
LEGISLATION
- Decree-Law no.41/2015 of March 24 - regulates the allocation of the social mobility subsidy to beneficiary citizens under the provision of air services between Mainland Portugal and the Autonomous Region of the Azores as well as between the Autonomous Region of the Azores and the Autonomous Region of Madeira.
- Ordinance no. 95-A/2015 of March 27 - defines the procedures to be adopted for calculating the amount of the social mobility subsidy under the provisions of the Decree-Law no. 41/2015, of March 24.