The air connection between Bragança and Portimão will end on February 28th and, for now, there is no date for returning. The Seven Air group, which operates the route, is available to maintain the service, but accuses the Government of being late.
The executive has already authorized the expenditure of 13,5 million euros for the concession of the service, over four years, but the resolution of the Council of Ministers was only published this Wednesday, February 7th, in Diário da República.
In statements to the Sul Informação, Carlos Amaro, the company's administrator, said that this advance "will be of no use", at least for now.
«After February 28th, the service will end», he told our newspaper.
Seven Air, he assured, is “interested” in continuing, but time could be an obstacle, especially since there is now a public tender period that could take months.
«We won't know how long the process will last: until then we will evaluate, read the specifications, and understand if we will then compete», said the person in charge.
“We are interested, but if we award the services to another line in Europe… we don’t know,” he added.
In this Government resolution, the value increases from 10,5 million – from the last concession – to 13,5, something that Carlos Amaro sees as “the minimum” even given “the increase in the value of fuel”.
In the pipeline, according to the administrator, there may also be a workers' strike even before the end of the route.
Last year, Seven Air transported more than 10 thousand passengers on this route – which departs from Portimão and has stops in Tires (Cascais), Viseu and Vila Real until reaching Bragança.
According to the resolution of the Council of Ministers, of these 13,5 million, 937.500 are already this year: expenses of 3,75 million are expected in other years (2025, 2026 and 2027) and 1.312.500 euros in the last year: 2028.
In a response sent to Lusa, the Government – through the office of the Deputy Secretary of State and Infrastructure – assured that it is “working” to “caution” that the route does not end.
In the same note, Frederico Francisco's office says that this line is «a factor of economic and social development, promoting territorial cohesion, contributing to bringing populations closer to the main business, education and leisure centers».
Comments