“If everything goes normally, [the company] will surpass 100″ planes, stated CEO Luís Rodrigues, explaining that the final number is still being finalized in the budget and financial projections.
The goal will not be “difficult,” considering the current fleet consists of 99 aircraft, he detailed.
However, the executive acknowledges that the company remains limited in areas such as fleet expansion, asset purchases, or acquisitions due to the restructuring plan agreed with the European Commission during the covid-19 pandemic, which concludes at the end of this year.
“Today, we have the same limitations as the past five years,” he commented at the end of a lunch with journalists.
Despite this, the manager is confident and highlights the relationship with Airbus, the supplier of nearly the entire fleet.
“The relationships with Airbus are excellent, always have been and continue to be,” he stated in response to questions about the possibility of renegotiating contracts as suggested by the former management of the airline and the recent searches related to the issue.
“The delivery plan initiated in 2016 remains, with aircraft expected until 2030,” he noted, declining to comment on potential contract renegotiations or leasing values.
For 2026, the forecast points to “growth in passengers and revenue,” although it depends on the international context.
“We all know we are in an increasingly complex global geopolitical environment. Any guessing exercise is just that. It’s a coin flip. But based on what we’ve felt in recent weeks, even months, we want to believe that, as the dust settles, people will want to continue to travel,” he noted.
In this regard, “I think we will achieve, within the modest growth we can have given the limitations of the airport [in Lisbon] and the fleet limitations, to continue another year of growth,” he concluded.
Regarding the opening of new routes next year, he admitted that any continent “is possible,” although it’s premature to advance options now.
