Almost half of the more than 540,000 passengers on international flights to and from Cape Verde in 2021 were transported by the Portuguese company TAP, according to data from the regulatory body, compiled this Friday by Lusa.
According to the recent regulation report for 2021, published by the Civil Aviation Agency (AAC) of Cape Verde, international flights to and from the four airports in the archipelago moved 542,488 last year, an increase of 3.1% compared to 2020 , but still 70% less than in 2019, before the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Of this total, the Portuguese airline TAP transported 233,799 passengersequivalent to 43.1% of the total movement of flights to and from Cape Verde in 2021, followed by the tour operator TUIfly Germany, with 45,029 passengers (8.3%) and Azores Airlines, with 36,778 passengers (6.8%).
Despite having dominated the Cape Verdean international air transport market in 2021 – to Praia, Sal and São Vicente – from Lisbon, with an increase of 88% compared to 2020, TAP handled only around half of the passengers compared to 2019, before the effects of the covid-19 pandemic.
The CEO of the Portuguese airline, Christine Ourmières-Widener, visited Cape Verde last March and announced at the time the resumption of TAP flights to Boa Vista the following month, two years after the interruption due to the pandemic, having also outlined the goal of transporting 250 thousand passengers in the archipelago this year.
It is a very important market for us, not only because of its size, but also because of the connection and the communities between Portugal and Cape Verde. The importance of the market is not only due to income, but also due to the importance of the economic links between the two countries”, said Christine Ourmières-Widener.
The president of TAP, who met on March 10 with the Cape Verdean prime minister, Ulisses Correia e Silva, explained that the archipelago’s market represents less than 1% of TAP’s total income, but he forecasts that the level of passengers to be transported is “a little better” in 2022, amounting to more than 250 thousand.
He added that, “listening” to local calls, TAP intended to “significantly increase” the offer of seats to Cape Verde starting in the summer.
You TAP flights to Praia were practically not suspended during the Covid-19 pandemicwith the Portuguese airline gradually resuming flights to the islands of São Vicente and Sal, those affected by the pandemic, and already this year to Boa Vista.
For the administrator, TAP “has shown its dedication and commitment to Cape Verde”, despite constant criticism from passengers about the archipelago, especially for the prices charged.
“First, because it was the only airline that did not stop operations during the crisis. [da pandemia de Covid-19, para Cabo Verde]. I think it is significant proof of our commitment to the country,” she concluded.
Source: Observadora
