Cabo Verde Airlines Clarifies That Auction Of Slots In Portugal Is Illegal

TACV Cabo Verde Airlines clarified this Wednesday, June 21, that the alleged auction of slots (better known in aviation by the designation of slots) at Humberto Delgado Airport, in Lisbon, does not exist in Portugal, an act that it considers illegal and that does not affect operations in this European country.

“As part of the news published in the press about the auction of Cabo Verde Airlines slots, the company informs that this procedure, auction or sale of 'slots', does not exist in Portugal or in any other country of the European Union. On the other hand, the concrete act is illegal and is already being dealt with in the proper instances”, explained Transportes Aéreos de Cabo Verde (TACV), in a statement.

“Cabo Verde Airlines [commercial designation of the airline] informs that the act itself does not jeopardize the company's operations to and from Portugal, so it does not raise commercial and operational concern”, says the press release.

The clarification comes on the same day that the media, in Portugal and on the islands of Cape Verde, reported on an alleged seizure of the airport slot granted to TACV in Lisbon, due to a debt accumulated by the Cape Verdean airline, that RTP, in Lisbon, said to be 211 thousand euros.

TACV suspended commercial flights in March 2020, due to restrictions to contain the covid-19 pandemic and only resumed operations, once again with the company in the hands of the Cape Verdean State, in December 2021, after 21 months, with connections between Praia and Lisbon, extended in 2022 from the Portuguese capital to the islands of Sal and São Vicente.

On May 17, the president of the Cape Verdean state company, Sara Pires, predicted the resumption of flights to Bissau, 10 years later, and winter flights to Boston (USA) and Brazil.

“At the moment, Cabo Verde Airlines has flights to and from Lisbon. We, from the month of July, will be introducing flights to Paris and from the 'Winter IATA' introduce flights to Boston and Brazil”, he advanced.

TACV will operate from July with a Boeing 737-8 MAX, to add to the Boeing 737-700 leased since March 2022 by the Cape Verdean flag company to the Angolan counterpart TAAG, which has since ensured connections from Cape Verde to Portugal.

Last week, the Cape Verdean Government approved yet another State guarantee, this time of 5.8 million euros, to the air carrier, for investments, this time with the acquisition of the second plane.

The Cape Verdean state plans to inject 1 billion escudos (9.1 million euros) annually into TACV over the next three years, to guarantee the stability and recovery of the airline, before re-privatising it.

In March 2019, the State of Cape Verde sold 51% of TACV for 1.3 million euros to Lofleidir Cabo Verde, a company 70% owned by Loftleidir Icelandic EHF (Icelandair group, which took 36% of Cabo Verde Airlines) and 30% by Icelandic entrepreneurs with experience in the aviation sector (who took over the remaining 15% of the privatized 51% share).

However, following the company’s stoppage during the covid-19 pandemic, the Cape Verdean State took over a 51% stake in TACV on 6 July 2021, alleging various non-compliance in the management of Icelandic investors and immediately dissolved the social bodies.