Latest news and stories about air travel in travel in Portugal for expats and residents.
The SATA aviation group is operating extraordinary flights between Sunday and Monday to clear a backlog of passengers caused by heavy fog in the Azores. The weather conditions, which began on Friday, forced the cancellation of multiple flights operated by SATA Air Açores and Azores Airlines.
The civil terminal at Lajes Air Base in the Azores has sufficient fuel reserves to continue scheduled flights following a supply disruption. While recent fuel deliveries failed to meet quality standards set by Galp, the director of the terminal confirmed that military operations remain unaffected and civilian services will continue as planned.
Lajes Air Base (Base Aérea das Lajes) is a Portuguese military airfield on Terceira Island in the Azores that has served as a strategic mid‑Atlantic stop for military and civilian flights since World War II. Its use for US military refuelling matters because operations there involve Portuguese sovereignty and government approval, so allowing US planes to refuel for missions to the Middle East can create legal and political controversy in Lisbon and the Azores.
Severe weather conditions have disrupted air traffic at the Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport in Madeira, leading to multiple flight cancellations and diversions. Meanwhile, a report by AirAdvisor identified the Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport in Porto as having one of the highest rates of prolonged delays in Europe during 2025, with an average wait time exceeding 100 minutes for delayed flights.
A Jet2.com Boeing 737-800 carrying 141 passengers from the UK to Gran Canaria made an emergency landing at Gago Coutinho International Airport in Faro this Thursday. The pilot declared an emergency after smoke was reported in the cabin, prompting the activation of the airport's emergency intervention plan. All passengers disembarked safely, and the aircraft is undergoing a technical inspection.
The airport association ACI Europe has warned that European airports face a systemic risk of jet fuel shortages within three weeks if traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is not stabilized. A prolonged supply interruption could significantly impact airport operations, connectivity, and the broader European economy.
