“Due to the cash crunch, the service provided for over 15 years will be interrupted on 30 September [Monday], due to manifest impossibility, given the failure to comply with the obligations contractually assumed by the Portuguese State”, explains the Sevenair Group, in a statement sent to Lusa news agency.

The contract for the concession of the regular air transport service Bragança/Vila Real/Viseu/Cascais/Portimão ended on 28 February this year, with two direct agreements having been signed to keep the route in operation, while the Government launched a new international tender for the concession of the service.

In January, the Sevenair Group signed a first direct agreement with the previous Government, which was valid from March to June, for 750 thousand euros, and with the current Executive, led by Luís Montenegro, a second direct agreement was signed, valid until September, for 900 thousand euros.

In both cases, according to Sevenair, the contract stipulated that “the State would pay monthly, in accordance with the provision of the transport service that was fully provided”, noting that the Government has not yet settled “the full value of all air services provided this year on the regional air route” Bragança - Portimão.

“The truth is that on September 30th, both contracts will be concluded and executed by Sevenair, without the State having paid any amount this year, 2024, nor having paid any outstanding amounts from previous years, which, added to the deposits made by the company as a guarantee, mean that the State's total debt is already around three million and 800 thousand euros”, reveals the Sevenair Group.

The new international public tender for the concession of the service was held and was scheduled to start on October 1st, Tuesday, but, to date, the Government has not yet announced its outcome.

“The company deeply regrets the impact of the suspension of the route on the populations of the interior North of Portugal who will be affected, as well as the fate of nearly a hundred workers linked to this route, at the various stopovers, including crews, maintenance and handling. These were the reasons that, despite having received nothing in 2024, led Sevenair to maintain the operation as long as it was humanly and financially possible”, also states the Sevenair Group.