The Lisboeta

European Commission extends deadline for divestment of TAP and SATA assets

Monday, 5 January 2026RSS
European Commission extends deadline for divestment of TAP and SATA assets

On Monday the European Commission extended the deadlines for airlines SATA and TAP to complete the divestment of assets, a condition for the restructuring aid granted by the Government. In a statement, the EU Executive said it had accepted Portugal's request to extend the deadline until 31 December 2026 for the company...

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Context & Explainers

TAP Air Portugal is Portugal’s flag-carrier airline, founded in 1945 and based at Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport, operating domestic, European and intercontinental routes. For expats it matters because TAP runs many of the main connections to Portugal (including transatlantic routes), so its schedules, fares and operational decisions directly affect relocation, visits and shipping of household goods.

SATA is the Azores regional airline group that operates inter‑island services and international routes under the Azores Airlines brand, and is the primary air carrier linking the Azores with mainland Portugal and parts of Europe. For expats living in or visiting the islands, SATA provides the main year‑round connections and is often the only practical option for travelling between islands or to the continent.