The SATA Group was distinguished with the Portuguese Quality Association (APQ) Award.
The award ceremony occurred in Ponta Delgada, on October 20, as part of the VII Regional Quality Days.
The Portuguese Association for Quality (APQ), through its Regional Delegation of the Azores, rewards entities or individuals whose professional performance has been marked by a set of distinctive characteristics, including leadership, professionalism, ethics, and competence, and who have contributed to the promotion and evolution of Quality in the Azores.
In this context, the work developed by the SATA Group's professionals, namely in the Ground Operations area, was worthy of the José Carlos Dâmaso Award, a distinction paying tribute to the man who was a reference in the Quality field in the Archipelago of the Azores.
The accolade confirmed the quality of the processes adopted and the work carried out by the SATA Group's Ground Operations Division.
The evaluation was carried out by a multidisciplinary jury based on the candidates' contributions to quality, management level, innovation, promotion and dissemination, and application of concepts.
The fact that, despite the enormous challenges faced by the aviation sector, and while many companies stopped their activities, the SATA Group's teams took advantage of the pause to draw up plans to change, innovate, and implement processes that allowed for effective improvements in the service provided, was considered a relevant consideration for the award. Noteworthy is the ability to dispatch assisted flights more quickly, with very positive implications for airline punctuality. Bearing in mind the need for continuous improvement, solutions have been created over the last two years for the ground handling services area based on technological applications developed by the SATA Group's information systems teams. The SATA Group's capacity for innovation, taken as a weighting factor in this award, was recognized.
The most objective proof that the efforts made were worthwhile was that ground handling services and assistance to the SATA Group's airline operators were able to efficiently meet the increase in traffic seen in the summer of 2022, both in the Azores and in other destinations. This ensured that quality services were provided to assisted airline operators and, consequently, to passengers passing through the Airports in the Autonomous Region of the Azores and other airports in the SATA network.
The José Carlos Dâmaso award was handed over to Filipe Raposo, Ground Operations Director, in a ceremony held at the Aula Magna of the University of the Azores, which was also attended by the Chairman of the SATA Group, Luís Rodrigues.