The Civil Aviation Pilots Union (SPAC) announced this Wednesday, 29th, through a statement, that, after a meeting with the Newtour/MS Aviation consortium, candidate for the privatization of Azores Airlines, there was an opening in the dialogue that deserves to be highlighted.
However, the entity highlights the persistence of a structural problem: access to the company’s operational data, which is classified as “confidential”.
During the meeting, SPAC expressed its willingness to collaborate with Newtour/MS Aviation and SATA Holding to find solutions for Azores Airlines, always with respect for workers’ rights and the Autonomous Region of the Azores.
The vice-president of SPAC, Frederico Saraiva de Almeida, quoted in the document, states that “it was a solid first step: there was openness, availability and mutual respect. This is exactly the environment we want to find solutions”.
Despite this positive environment, the SPAC points out that it continues to face a blockade by SATA Holding regarding essential information.
Data such as the number of pilots activated on vacation or days off, the costs associated with these activations and the costs of training pilots are not available. The union contests the “confidentiality” classification that prevents informed negotiations.
“Negotiating without numbers is negotiating blindly. Workers’ representatives are also bound by secrecy — we do not ask for industrial secrets; we ask for management accounting”, reinforces Frederico Saraiva de Almeida, adding that “prolonged opacity only weakens the Company and the process. The serious way forward is simple: declassify and make essential data available”.
The SPAC warned that the lack of transparency could compromise the privatization process of Azores Airlines, whose deadline, defined by the European Commission, extends until the end of 2025.
The union warns that failure to complete the process could lead to the closure of the company. He therefore expressed concerns about the impact of opacity, stating that it could be used to justify not privatizing the company.
“It is not our role to feed theories, but it is undeniable that opacity serves those who fear scrutiny. What we defend is transparency and shared responsibility, so that the future of Azores Airlines can be discussed in a serious and informed way”, says the vice-president of SPAC.
In the statement, the union reiterates its availability to collaborate with all interested parties in building a privatization process that is transparent, sustainable and fair, respecting the rights and duties of everyone involved.