Thorn Tree travel forum
Replies: 12 - Last Post: 18-Jul-2009 21:16 Last Post By: nebbluwtr
SATA(n?) - the one, the only, the worst airline direct to Azores from US!
Boy, if I had more time on my hands I'd start an airline that competes with SATA which is to my knowledge the only airline that travels direct from the states direct to the Azores. Azores is such a great place but it's such a pain in the arse starting + ending my trips with these douchbags. ALWAYS (can't say it loud enough) LATE!!! Hours behind schedule in both directions. Lost luggage every other trip..."stop your whining you stupid American we'll find your precious luggage someday!" Pricing is consistently exhorbetant! You can regularly fly round trip to nearer parts of Europe from the eastcoast of US for $500. It's always at least $700 to the Azores (and it's 900 miles closer to the US than Lisbon). And I just paid $1000 for a mid-january trip. he planes are always full so demand is not an issue. But what is an issue? aha..Answer: Competition. SATA is the only game in town, because like in so many ways, (in the Azores part of Portugal at least) the socialist business model is being held over. On the plus side, the planes seem pretty new and clean, but please, please...American Air, British Airways, anybody get in there and help us (me).
1
Very balanced review indeed. I knew this must be a first (and last?)-time poster when I saw the title. Sad that people take the time to sign up on this board just to get rid of their frustrations.
2
yep, aribo, but this board is all about helping travellers - and mcmpc's last line clearly indicates (s)he found it helpful, that all that matters ;-)
3
the socialist business model is being held overAward-winning riverside hotel-restaurant near Ronda, Andalucia
4
Somehow it is difficult to go to the Azores. F.e. Living in Galicia (N-Spain) we drove to Porto to take a flight to the Azores, but that meant first going to Lisbon and then taking the flight to the Azores. There were no flights from the second largest city in Portugal, Port, to the Azores. To me that seems kind of silly. On the way back almost every flight was late and we were obliged to spend the night in a hotel in Lisbon, but pàid for by the airline. I agree that the Azores are worth the trouble, but why making it so difficult.
5
but why making it so difficult.Award-winning riverside hotel-restaurant near Ronda, Andalucia
6
Some places on this planet are difficult to get to. I've been to some of them and incorporate the difficulty into my planning.
7
As a matter of fact I do think it is kind of a "conspiracy", in the sense that there are no other than portuguese airlines flying to the Azores, the only exception being some charters. It looks like either the Azores government or the portuguese government are protecting their own airlines. Maybe in this way they manage to protect the islands from the influx of mass tourism and its deteriorating influence. Compare it to spanish mediterranean coast.
8
Compare it to spanish mediterranean coast.Award-winning riverside hotel-restaurant near Ronda, Andalucia
9
The comparison I had in mind was not climate, beaches etc, but the fact that a great part of that coast is completely ruined by all the construction for the tourist trade. I sailed along quite a bit of the spanish mediterranean coast and know what I am talking about. The worst being Santa Pola in Alicante. It probably is a personal iponion, but from the sea-side I didn't think Benidorm as ugly as many people make it. It is to be hoped that the Azores are not going to be spoiled in the way the spanish coast is. Nevertheless I do think it rather strange that there are no direct connecting flights between Portugal's second largest city and the Azores.
10
A friend of my Dad went to Azores and almost got conned into buying a rip-off time-share.
'Personally, I believe a rocking hammock, a good cigar, and a tall gin-and-tonic is the way to save the planet.'
P J O'Rourke
11
Perhaps it's exactly the socialist approach that allows regular flights to the Azores at all; many far-away dependencies of European countries only exist due to subsidies like government-co-funded airlines; otherwise there might be no connections at all.
12
In response to Sata being the Worst Airline. I don't think so. I just flew in to Horta mid-Feb and left mid-March for $600 round trip to Boston. The flights were on time and everyone was very courteous. Sure they were full, since they were (are) the only inter-island airline. But once we boarded the transatlantic leg, the flights was only about 1/3 full.
Posted By: VenessaP -- 28-Jan-2010 15:01
Posted By: VenessaP -- 09-Dec-2009 17:01
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