Aero Vip resumes North-South Portuguese PSO route

Aero Vip has resumed domestic North-South domestic Portuguese PSO flights following a near four year-long hiatus.

The carrier secured a EUR7.15 million (USD7.79 million) three-year contract from the Portuguese government to operate daily Braganca-Vila Real-Viseu-Cascais-Portimão return flights late last year. Service, which began on December 23, is on-board Aero Vip's fleet of Do228s.

Lisbon had originally terminated the flights back in 2012 following concerns its direct funding model violated European Commission route subsidization regulations.

For its part, Aero Vip is based out of Portimão and operates two Do228s, a Shorts 360, a Jetstream 31, and various light aircraft on flights across mainland Portugal as well as between the Atlantic islands of Funchal and Porto Santo.