Azores Situation Report Wednesday 18th June 2025
Petition for an increase in the regional addition to the national minimum wage
The Union of Workers in the Manufacturing, Food, Commerce and Office, Hotel, Tourism and Transport Industries of the Azores delivered a public petition to the president of the regional parliament on Monday calling for an increase in the regional addition to the national minimum wage.
In a press release, the union said that the petition has 3,900 signatories and “is not just a piece of paper with names, it is the collective voice of thousands of workers, who yearn for a decent wage”.
“We cannot ignore the importance of the regional increase in the national minimum wage in the fight against poverty, particularly working poverty. In the current context, in which the regional labour market is based on a low-wage model, having a job is no longer enough to stave off poverty,” it is stated.
São Miguel Airport Terminal to be expanded by 30%
The terminal at Ponta Delgada Airport, in São Miguel, will undergo expansion works, in order to have greater disembarkation capacity.
The Ponta Delgada airport terminal will undergo works in 2026 that aim to expand the air space by around 30% to increase disembarkation capacity and to add new disembarkation gates.
Azores detect case of Monkeypox infection in non-resident patient
The Azores have detected a case of Monkeypox virus infection (mpox) in a non-resident person, and the region is monitoring close contacts, revealed the regional director of Health, Pedro Paes.
“The authorities initiated all the necessary surveillance and epidemiological investigation procedures with close contacts and all necessary actions were taken.”
Shuttle service to Lagoa do Fogo returns on June 15th
The shuttle service to access points of interest in the Fogo Volcano visiting area will return on June 15, with this service ending on September 30.
According to a press release from the Government of the Azores, the shuttle will operate between 9:00 am and 7:00 pm, every day of the week, including national, regional and municipal holidays, and will be free for residents of the Azores and will cost 5 euros for non-residents aged six and over.
During the aforementioned period, access to the road “between Caldeira Velha (Ribeira Grande) and Casa da Água (Lagoa) will be restricted to all vehicles, except those belonging to tourist entertainment companies, travel agencies, taxis and resident citizens”, explains the regional executive.
The buses will depart every 30 minutes from each of the bases and passengers, “with the same ticket, can decide to do just one or both routes, get off the bus at one of the stops and resume the journey whenever they wish”.
Thus, the Red Line starts at Caldeira Velha (Ribeira Grande), passes through the Miradouro da Bela Vista, Pico da Barrosa, Miradouro da Lagoa do Fogo and returns to Caldeira Velha.
The Green Line starts at Casa da Água (Lagoa), passes through Pico da Barrosa, Miradouro da Lagoa do Fogo and returns to Casa da Água.
Each route is expected to last around 60 minutes. The actual journey time will depend on the number and time of departures of each user on the chosen route.
Tickets can be purchased in advance online, via the link https://lagoadofogo.pt/ , and at tourist establishments on the island of São Miguel that are members of the respective sales system.
The press release also states that tourists travelling individually or in groups, independently, have at their disposal the “car parks at Caldeira Velha or Casa da Água and, from there, can use the shuttle service provided. Residents who wish to use this service, “can do so free of charge, by purchasing their ticket in advance”.
Tourist entertainment companies and travel agencies, which offer tours that include the Fogo Volcano Visiting Area (including the Lagoa do Fogo viewpoint), as well as taxis, do not need to use the shuttle service, having at their disposal the car parks along the route, subject to the conditions of use.
In total, the Secretariat for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures provides 200 free parking spaces, namely, 101 in the Caldeira Velha car park, 60 in the car park next to Casa da Água and 48 in the short-term car park, at the Lagoa do Fogo viewpoint. (the latter intended for tour operators, travel agencies, taxis and residents).
It should be noted that, in 2024, 61,400 tickets were sold, an increase of 3.8% compared to the previous year.