Direct London-Azores flights start Saturday
According to the ATA, there will be 10 connections this summer, the result of a partnership between Portugal's Tourism Office, ANA Aeroportos - Vinci Group, NAV Portugal and the Azores' government.
British Airways will start flights on Saturday between Heathrow airport in London and Ponta Delgada airport in the Azores, the Azores Tourism Association (ATA) announced on Thursday.
According to the ATA, there will be 10 connections this summer, the result of a partnership between Portugal’s Tourism Office, ANA Aeroportos – Vinci Group, NAV Portugal and the Azores’ government to “develop and consolidate air accessibility to the archipelago, without which the tourism recovery would not be possible for the Azores destination.
The aircraft for the connection will be an Airbus A320-NEO with 180 seats, which will be able to carry 1,800 passengers to Ponta Delgada in this seasonal summer operation.
Carlos Morais, president of the ATA, quoted in a press release, said that this was “a great opportunity for the Azores tourism sector”.
“The UK is an important international issuing market for tourists to the Azores, and British Airways is one of the world’s most important airlines, with the potential to stimulate new market segments,” he said.
The ATA is meanwhile developing “a set of promotional activities in partnership with tour operators in the UK market, as well as organising trips with a view to the necessary increase in awareness of the Azores destination in that market.
