Inter-island connecting flights

1.1. Resident and student passengers must have available a transportation document, specifically a booking itinerary or a transportation ticket in a standardized format by the industry, referencing the airline's booking code (record locator) and the respective ticket number, as well as information on flights and flight schedules to/from the Azores (either one-way or round-trip).

1.2. Resident or student passengers must present to SATA the original of the following documents attesting to their eligibility:

• Portuguese Taxpayer Card proving fiscal domicile in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, in the case of a resident passenger or equivalent resident passenger, when applicable;
• Document proving the passenger's identity, namely citizen card, identity card, or passport. The presentation of the citizen card exempts the passenger from presenting the taxpayer card;
• Registration certificate or permanent residence certificate, in the case of European Union citizens;
• Residence card or permanent residence card, in case of a family member of a European Union citizen or third-country national;
• Valid residence permit, in case of a non-EU citizen;
• Student passengers must, along with the documentation required in the previous items, submit the original of the document issued and authenticated by the educational establishment, which proves that they are duly enrolled in the current academic year and attending a course taught by that establishment;
• Equivalent residents must, in addition to the documentation required in the previous requirements, present the original of the declaration issued by the public or private company where they work, proving their professional situation, following the model declaration found in Appendix I of Order no. 2222/2022 of October 19, 2022.

1.3. SATA is free to prove the validity of the transportation document presented by the resident or student passenger, as defined in the preceding paragraph, by the available means at the time of booking and issuing the routing transportation ticket. Under this validation process, SATA may request additional information from the passenger on the purchase made in the airline used for transportation to/from the Azores.

1.4. SATA is also free to request and verify the passenger's resident or student identification documents, to prove their eligibility as a resident or equivalent resident in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, or a student who, residing in the Autonomous Region of the Azores, studies at an educational establishment located in another region on mainland Portugal or in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, or who, being a resident of another region on mainland Portugal or in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, develops his/her studies in the Autonomous Region of the Azores.

1.5. The booking and the issuance of the routing transportation ticket will be refused when it’s not possible or permitted to SATA to prove the eligibility of the resident or student passenger, namely if the passenger refuses to provide, in whole or in part, the necessary information or if the passenger doesn’t authorize the physical or electronic archiving of the required supporting documents.

1.6. In the case of different transport documents, SATA will not be responsible for the payment of any compensation and assistance resulting from missed connection flights.

1.7. Routings are limited to two flight coupons, except Corvo Island, in which an additional flight coupon will be allowed whenever there aren’t any daily connections.

1.8. The flight coupon corresponds to a one-way route (OW) to and from any aerodrome or airport in the Azores, including transits and transfers [therefore, regardless of any change on the flight’s number], provided that no more than 24 hours pass at the transfer point, counted between the time of arrival at the transfer point and the departure time of the next flight.

1.9. The limit mentioned in the previous point is not applicable in cases where the 24 hours cannot be met for reasons attributable to SATA, in cases where the resident or student passenger is undergoing quarantine or prophylactic isolation, and in other cases in which the Regional Health Authority prevents the resident or student passenger to proceed travel within this period.

1.10. The minimum connecting time (MCT — Minimum Connecting Time) on the gateway, between inter-island flights and flights to/from the Azores, should not be less than 90 minutes, considering the necessity for baggage delivery and a new check-in process.

1.11. Tickets issued under loyalty programs or other similar programs (e.g., SATA Imagine, TAP Victoria — tickets with miles) and tickets issued for aviation-related employees (commonly known as ID/AD) are not eligible for inter-island connecting flights.

1.12. The booking and the issuance of the routing transportation ticket will be refused if the conditions mentioned in the preceding paragraphs do not verify or/and if the transportation ticket to/from the Azores already includes a free connecting flight.

2.1. The booking for the routing transportation ticket can be made in all of SATA's Portuguese airport sales offices, city sales offices, and Contact Center through phone number +351 296209720. The booking for the routing transportation ticket is available through the online portal up to 120h (5 days) or up to 24h through our Contact Center, before departure of the initial schedule flight to or from the Azores.

2.2. Resident or student passengers may also make their bookings for the routing transportation ticket with a travel agent that can use the booking channels mentioned in the previous point or others made available by SATA.

2.3. It is guaranteed a period up to 72 hours after the booking for the resident or student passenger to order the issuance of the routing transportation ticket unless the booking is made less than 72 hours from the scheduled flight departure, in which case the booking and the issuance will have to be made simultaneously.

2.4. Once finished the period defined above, the booking will be automatically canceled if the resident or student passenger does not give any order for the issuance of the routing transportation ticket.

2.5. The routing transportation ticket between the gateway and the island of destination will have to be issued before the beginning of the connecting trip to the gateway.

2.6. It is allowed to the resident or student passengers to make a booking without holding the transportation document (booking itinerary or a transportation ticket purchased from the airline that transports to/from the Azores), only if the purchase occurs on our airport ticketing offices, city ticketing offices or through our Contact Center, and it should indicate the elements necessary for personal identification. Should the resident or student passenger choose to book online at our portal, the transportation document must be provided at the time of the request.

2.7. Should the booking occur on our airport sales offices, city sales offices, or Contact Center, the resident or student passenger will have up to 6h to refer the transportation document to SATA through its indicated email address. Otherwise, the booking will be automatically canceled. The booking will also be canceled if the transportation document sent by the resident or student passenger is not eligible for routing purposes.

2.8. There will not be any issuance of a receipt for the acquisition of a routing transportation ticket, which is only applicable for additional services requested and paid by the passenger.

Whenever there are requests for trip changes, before or during the trip, the following rules apply:

3.1. Changes to the routing transportation tickets are allowed.

3.2. When performing the routing on a new flight/date, the resident or student passenger will have to make proof once again of eligibility, as described in points 1 and 2 of this regulation.

3.3. Changing any complimentary service to the routing trip, which has been supported by the passenger, shall be governed by the rules on the purchased service.

3.4. SATA may validate, by the automatic back office, the passenger’s name, ID card, and record locator and, in case it is identified booking duplications of these three elements, cancel the bookings (s) and, if applicable, ticket (s) of former transportation.

3.5. If the passenger is a NO SHOW, all other segments of the respective booking will be automatically canceled, and SATA may apply a penalty to the passenger of €20.

 

4.1. Resident or student passengers must present SATA the boarding pass for the flight of the airline that transports them to/from the Azores at check-in.

4.2. If the resident or student passenger refuses to present or does not have the boarding pass mentioned in the previous point in its possession, SATA may reserve the right to deny boarding with the routing transportation ticket, without prejudice to the resident or student passenger subsequently requesting the issuance of a new transportation ticket, supporting its corresponding cost.

4.3. SATA will enforce the free baggage allowance associated with the routing product, which must be mentioned on the transportation.

4.4. SATA is not required to comply with the baggage rules on the transportation ticket to/from the Azores issued by another airline.

4.5. SATA may reserve the right to charge additional services to the routing passenger, specifically lounge access, travel insurance, meals, pre-seat booking, pre-seat on board.