Limited air connectivity at Flores airport curbs foreign property interest, industry says

Europe begins -and almost ends- on this runway

The Aeroporto das Flores, in Santa Cruz das Flores, is continental Europe's westernmost commercial airport and, along with the harbour, the island's main gateway. Its relatively short runway, exposed to the Atlantic wind, limits the type of aircraft that can operate there and causes frequent weather-related cancellations, according to sources in the tourism and airport sectors.

A factor buyers do take into account

According to sources in the property sector, many foreign buyers interested in houses in Flores ask explicitly about flight frequency before deciding, aware that an unreliable connection can complicate both regular visits to a second home and any future resale. This uncertainty, they add, translates into more cautious offers than on other islands in the archipelago with better connections.

Corvo, even more dependent

Flores' limited air connectivity also affects the market on the neighbouring island of Corvo, which relies in part on connections via Flores for its links with the rest of the archipelago, according to sources in the tourism sector. That dependence adds an extra layer of logistical uncertainty that estate agents pass on, where relevant, to buyers interested in properties in that area.

Calls on the airport operator

Business associations on the island have repeatedly raised with ANA – Aeroportos de Portugal, the airport's operator, and with the Governo Regional dos Açores the need to increase flight frequencies, especially in the low season, when the flight offer shrinks even further, according to local business sources. They argue that more stable connectivity would help consolidate property interest that today depends largely on word of mouth among visitors.

The market waiting for better flights

Unless the air offer changes substantially, sources in the property sector expect buyer interest in Flores to keep growing more slowly than on better-connected islands in the archipelago, though they agree the island's scenic appeal continues to offset, for a particular type of buyer, the logistical difficulty of getting there.