The airline is using its unique geographic location as part of a broader network strategy.
Azores’ first A321LR lifts off from the Airbus factory. (Photo: Airbus)
Azores Airlines will be more than doubling its non-stop services from Canada for the Summer 2024 season, according to Travel Week Canada. The airline currently serves Toronto Pearson International (YYZ) five times a week to Ponta Delgada’s Aeroporto João Paulo II (PDL) in the Portuguese archipelago. Beginning April 3, the carrier will add a seasonal service from YYZ to Lajes airport (TER) on the island of Terceira. From June 1, Montreal’s Pierre Trudeau International (YUL) will gain a seasonal service to PDL on São Miguel Island, the largest and most populous in the Azores archipelago.
The Toronto to Terceira route will initially begin as a weekly service departing YYZ on Wednesdays from April 3 to May 30. Beginning 02 June, the route will increase to a twice-weekly service with departures on Thursdays and Sundays until 29 September. Between October 2 – October 24 the service will then revert back to a single weekly operation on Wednesdays.
Non-stop from YUL to PDL will commence on June 1 through September 30 with four services per week departing on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Currently, passengers choosing to fly from Montreal can book with Azores Airlines and connect through YYZ with the airline’s partner Porter Airlines. From other airports in Canada, the airline works in conjunction with both Porter Airlines and WestJet to connect via Toronto and this will continue with the addition of YYZ-TER and YUL-PDL to Azore Airlines’ network.
The geographic location of the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean gives Azores Airlines the ability to provide a network strategy allowing connections between North America and Europe. Flights from Toronto and Montreal do not just give travelers the opportunity to visit the Azores but also to continue onto other Portuguese destinations including Lisbon, Faro, and Porto. Other mainland European destinations are also served including Barcelona and Bilbao in Spain; as well as Paris, France; Milan, Italy (from 2024); and Frankfurt, Germany. Nonstop services between PDL and London will resume in June 2024 with a twice-weekly operation.
Azores Airlines operates a fleet of A320 family aircraft including the A321LR and A320neo, as well as Bombardier Q400 Nextgen and Bombardier Q200 aircraft. In 2021 the airline operated the longest commercial flight at that time by an A321LR with a 9 hour 49 minute service between Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport in Portugal, and Bogotá El Dorado International Airport in Colombia.
The airline recently released its Q3 2023 results detailing a positive operating result before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) of €21.8 million ($23.3 million). The growth of the airline since 2019 was shown in passenger figures reaching 534.000 carried in Q3 2023, an increase of 27 percent over the same period in 2022 and a 59 percent increase over Q3 2019’s numbers.
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