The jury has approved a request to extend the deadline for submitting proposals to acquire Azores Airlines, initially set to end today. This decision follows a request made by the Newtour/MS Aviation consortium for additional time to present their proposal.
This marks another postponement, as the initial deadline set by the jury was October 24, later extended to November 10. On October 22, the Azorean Government’s Finance, Planning, and Public Administration Secretary stated that this extension was intended to allow the consortium to improve their offer, with a final resolution expected by the end of November.
Jury President Augusto Mateus decided to provide another opportunity for the consortium to submit a definitive offer, according to Duarte Freitas. Since then, Newtour/MS Aviation has engaged in negotiations with unions, following accusations against SATA for hindering dialogue, an allegation rejected by the company’s management.
On November 9, the Civil Aviation Pilots’ Union (SPAC) disclosed that 75% of attendees at Azores Airlines’ Company Assembly approved an agreement negotiated with the Newtour/MS Aviation consortium.
The privatization negotiations of Azores Airlines, part of the SATA group operating from the Azores archipelago outward, involve potential private negotiation or shutdown if no agreement is reached, as stated by the Regional Government.
The Newtour/MS Aviation was the sole bidder accepted in the jury’s final report. Concerns were expressed about the consortium’s capability to ensure the airline’s sustainability, announced in April 2024.
In May 2024, the Azorean Government initially canceled the privatization tender before eventually allowing SATA to negotiate directly with the consortium.
In June 2022, the European Commission approved Portuguese state aid for the airline’s restructuring, amounting to 453.25 million euros in loans and state guarantees, including organizational restructuring and divestment of a 51% controlling stake.
