Portugália Airlines

Abstract

Of all the Portuguese private airlines that for many years competed with TAP Air Portugal (the Portuguese owned state airline) only Portugália Airlines (PGA) resisted the hegemony of the Portuguese flag carrier until it was bought by TAP itself. Portugália Airlines, a private airline, managed to maintain its operation, even against the power of the state company. This case study shows how PGA operated certain routes (here the Turin example, in Italy) as a survival strategy. The approach is exploratory and based on an observational description of facts. In view of the recent events caused by COVID 19, the pandemic has brought about a change in business models, also providing the warning that anyone who does not have a clear strategy, dies at birth. The case study leaves some interesting clues to explore.