Tag Archives: TAP Portugal – Air Portugal

TAP Air Portugal sees a massive 526% increase in traffic between Europe and Brazil

TAP Air Portugal (TAP) experienced a massive 526% increase in customers carried between Europe and Brazil in the first six months of 2022, compared to the previous year.

The Portuguese flag carrier flew more than 640,000 customers on more than 3,100 flights, grabbing nearly a third (28%) of the whole market share of all customers flown between Europe and Brazil.

During the first half of 2022 it operated 3,129 flights and was the third largest international airline in the number of take-offs, representing a huge increase of 130% compared to the same period in 2021.

This summer, TAP will operate 76 flights a week between Portugal and Brazil, the largest number of flights by a foreign airline flying to Brazil.

TAP connects Europe to 11 cities in Brazil from its Lisbon hub, flying to São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belém, Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Fortaleza, Natal, Maceió, Porto Alegre, Recife and Salvador. The airline also connects Porto with São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

Currently, TAP connects Portugal with three destinations in the United Kingdom – London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Manchester – as well as offering flights to the Irish capital, Dublin.

The airline, which boasts one of the youngest fleets in Europe, currently operates a mix of short-haul and long-haul Airbus aircraft, from the state-of-the-art A330neo to the game changing single-aisle A321neoLR.

The carrier’s regional arm also operates a fleet of ATR and Embraer aircraft for those travelling a shorter distance.

Top Copyright Photo: TAP Portugal – Air Portugal Airbus A330-941 CS-TUR (msn 1943) AMS (Ton Jochems). Image: 958273.

TAP aircraft photo gallery:

TAP Air Portugal grows by 4.8% in the first six months of 2019

TAP Air Portugal carried 8 million passengers in first half 2019

Number of passengers carried rises in the Company’s total network
North America recorded the largest increase (+ 9.6%)
European routes, excluding Portugal, with the highest number of passengers carried (4.8 million)
Azores and Madeira with 4.9 percent increase in traffic

In the first six months of the year, TAP Air Portugal carried around 8 million passengers (7.9 million), representing a growth of 4.8 percent over the previous year.

The Company was able to record passenger increases in all network sectors it operates (except South and Central Atlantic), especially North America, with 9.6 percent more passengers transported, for a total of 428 thousand, and Africa, where TAP grew 8.5 percent to 586,000 passengers.

Brazil experienced a slight slowdown, with 2 percent fewer passengers in the first half, but with the most recent months already showing signs of a recovery. In June, for example, TAP carried 3.4 percent more in Brazilian routes than in the same month of 2018.

On European routes – excluding Portugal – TAP had the highest absolute growth, reaching 4.8 million passengers, 227 thousand more, or 4.9 percent, than in the first six months of the previous year.

In flights between mainland Portugal airports (Lisbon, Porto and Faro), TAP grew 1.8 percent. In the Azores and Madeira routes, the national airline increased by 4.9 per cent, reaching 633,000 passengers on all routes to and from the Autonomous Regions.

Also noteworthy is the Lisbon-Porto “Ponte Aérea”, with growth in the first half of 5.8 percent for the 400,000 passengers.

It is recalled that, traditionally, the first semester always has lower records than the second semester. Additionally, TAP launched new routes during the first half (Tel Aviv, Basel and Dublin on March 31, Chicago, Washington, San Francisco, Naples and Tenerife throughout June) and some already in the second half in July (Conakry and Porto-Brussels), with their impact on traffic growth only fully felt in the second half of the year.

In September, the Company will also open flights between Porto and Munich and Lyon and between Lisbon and Banjul. The effect of the new routes, coupled with the traditional higher traffic of the second half, allows TAP to state that in 2019 the airline will surpass all records in the number of passengers carried.

All photos by the airline.

TAP Portugal retires its last Airbus A330-300

TAP Portugal – Air Portugal has operated its last Airbus A330-300 revenue flight. The type has been replaced with newer Airbus aircraft.

The pictured Airbus A330-300 CS-TOX operated flight TP22 from Salvador, Brazil to the Lisbon hub on July 12, 2019, arriving the next day in Lisbon.

The fleet is being sold to Air Canada.

TAP aircraft slide show:

TAP to fly to Banjul, Gambia

TAP will begin flying to Banjul, the capital of The Gambia, on October 26, 2019. TAP will offer three flights per week from Lisbon.

This is another example of the national airline strengthening its service to Africa, a market in which TAP has recorded significant growth.

The service will use Airbus A320 aircraft, with three flights per week, leaving Lisbon at 20:55 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and arriving in Banjul at 00:10 the next day. The flights will then leave Banjul at 01:05 (on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays), arriving at Humberto Delgado Airport at 06:05 (all times local).

TAP flies to the following destinations in Africa: Morocco (Marrakesh, Casablanca, Tangier and Fez), Cape Verde (Sal, Praia, S. Vicente and Boa Vista), Senegal (Dakar), Guinea-Bissau (Bissau), Ivory Coast (Abidjan), Togo (Lomé), Ghana (Accra), S. Tomé and Príncipe (S. Tomé), Angola (Luanda) and Mozambique (Maputo) – a total of 16 cities in 10 countries.

The new destination of Banjul, in The Gambia, and the recently announced start of flights to Conakry, in Guinea, bring the number of African countries and cities the national airline directly serves from Portugal to 12 and 18, respectively.

TAP carried more than 1.1 million passengers on its African routes in 2018, an increase of 11.3% compared to the previous year. TAP continues its growth in Africa with these new destinations for 2019.

Top Copyright Photo: TAP Portugal – Air Portugal Airbus A320-214 WL CS-TNT (msn 4095) LIS (Ton Jochems). Image: 946599.

TAP aircraft slide show:

TAP Portugal puts its first Airbus A320neo delivery of 2019 into service, expands at Porto

TAP made this announcement:

On March 2, TAP debuted its new Airbus A320neo CS-TVB, with flight TP1699 from Lisbon to Funchal. This is the first model of this jetliner to arrive at the company this year.

The new Airbus A320neo, which is now part of the TAP Medium-Haul fleet, offers 174 seats. By the end of this year, TAP will receive 37 new airliners of the four Airbus models: A320neo, A321neo, A321LR, and A330neo.

TAP plans to receive 71 new aircraft by 2025, making it one of the most modern fleets in the world. The TAP fleet currently includes two Airbus A320neo, five Airbus A321neo, and three Airbus A330neo.

Above Photo: TAP/SpotterBR. Last week, the Airbus A330neo flew for the first time from Lisbon to Brasília.

In other news, TAP has announced an increase in the number of departures from Porto. Recently, TAP had announced new flights between Porto and Newark, moving from the current two flights per week to six weekly flights.

TAP flights between Porto and Newark will be operated by one of the most modern jetliners in the world: the Airbus A321 Long Range, an aircraft that offers high levels of comfort, efficiency, and technology. Flights between Porto and São Paulo will take place on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

With these new flights from Porto Airport, TAP will operate 288 connections per week. This includes 19 direct flights from Porto to Brazil, the US and Europe.

TAP’s new destinations from Porto – Brussels, Lyon and Munich – represent a 34% increase in direct connections from Porto to Europe, compared to last year. TAP’s investment in Porto is only possible thanks to the expansion of its fleet.

Top Copyright Photo: Sister aircraft: TAP Portugal – Air Portugal Airbus A320-251N WL CS-TVA (msn 8043) LHR (Rolf Wallner). Image: 944440.

TAP aircraft slide show:

TAP Air Portugal to add more destinations from Porto

TAP Air Portugal has made this announcement:

TAP’s new destinations from Porto are now on sale. Brussels, Lyon and Munich are European cities to which TAP will offer direct flights from Porto in 2019.

Flights to the capital of Belgium begin on July 1 with two daily flights. Departures from Porto are at 7:00 a.m. and 5:35 p.m., arriving in Brussels at 10:30 a.m. and 9:05 p.m., respectively.

TAP operations to Lyon, France and Munich, Germany, will begin on September 1. Flights to Lyon will be twice daily: departure from Porto at 6:30 a.m. and arrival in Lyon at 9:35 a.m. and departure from Porto at 6:30 p.m. and arrival in the French city at 9:35 p.m.

For Munich, TAP operations will begin with a daily flight departing from Porto at 12:15 p.m. and arriving in the German city at 3:55 p.m.

This increase in routes from the Porto Airport allows TAP to operate 19 direct routes from Porto to airports in Europe, the United States and also Brazil, in a total of 288 weekly flights.

The new routes that TAP will inaugurate this year from Porto represent a 34% increase in direct connections from Porto to Europe compared to last year. Nevertheless, in 2018 the company had already increased the number of connections to Europe with the launch of operations to Barcelona, London (London City Airport), Milan and Ponta Delgada.

The opening of new routes this year is possible thanks to the reinforcement of aircraft that TAP is carrying out.

TAP will receive 37 new aircraft by the end of this year and 71 by 2025.

In North America, San Francisco, Washington and Chicago are the new long haul destinations for 2019 already on sale.

Naples, Tenerife, Tel Aviv, Dublin and Basel are also new routes that TAP has already announced for 2019.

In other news, TAP took delivery of two additional Airbus A330-900neo aircraft on January 10. By the end of 2019, TAP will receive another 16 Airbus A330-900neos in addition to the three already delivered.

The Airbus A330-900neo has 298 seats comfortably arranged across three cabin classes: 34 seats in executive, 96 in economy plus and 168 in economy. The new Airspace by Airbus cabin offers each passenger more space, bigger luggage compartments and an innovative cabin lighting system. The new aircraft will be used to enhance TAP’s long-haul operations.

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The Airbus A330-900neo is a state-of-the-art aircraft. It includes the latest generation and super efficient Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 turbines, a larger wing with 3D optimisation and new sharklets to provide the best aerodynamic performance. These advances result in a 10-12% reduction in fuel consumption compared to last generation aircraft of a similar size.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by the airline): TAP Portugal – Air Portugal Airbus A321-251N WL CS-TJI (msn 8270) ZRH (Andi Hiltl). Image: 943522.

TAP aircraft slide show:

TAP Air Portugal to add San Francisco in June

TAP Air Portugal has announced its latest new destination: San Francisco. This new route reinforces and consolidates the Company’s bet in that market, now extending its reach to reach California, on the west coast of the USA.

TAP´s operation to San Francisco begins on June 10, 2019 and will have five flights per week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Flights depart from Lisbon at 10:00 am and arrive in San Francisco at 14:40 pm, local time. On the opposite direction, the departure is at 16:10 pm, arriving in Lisbon at 11:25 am, on the following day.

San Francisco will be the TAP´s eighth destination in North America and the third new destination for TAP in the United States next year. Chicago and Washington are also available for sale, with operation starting on June 1 and June 16, 2019 respectively.

In the North American market, TAP had three destinations in 2015, and now has nine routes, increasing its weekly frequencies from 16 to 56.

TAP also reinforced the number of weekly flights from Porto to Newark (from 2 to 6 weekly flights).

In the North Atlantic, TAP flies to: San Francisco, Washington, Chicago, New York – JFK, New York – Newark, Boston and Miami, departing from Lisbon, and New York – Newark departing from Porto, as well as Toronto , In Canada.

The expansion and renovation of the TAP´s fleet has made these new routes possible. The company has already received seven Airbus aircraft this year, with more arriving over the next years, to a total of 71 new aircraft by 2025. The first new aircraft the company received was an Airbus A320neo, which has been in service since June. Two Airbus A321neo’s joined the TAP fleet in September. A new Airbus A330neo arrived in Lisbon, with TAP set to become the first airline in the world to put this aircraft into service. On Saturday, December 8, 2018 a new Airbus A321neo arrived, with another A321neo arriving in Lisbon from the Airbus factory on Tuesday December 11, 2018.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by the airline): TAP Portugal – Air Portugal Airbus A330-343 CS-TOU (msn 997) LIS (Marcelo F. De Biasi). Image: 940710.

TAP Air Portugal aircraft slide show:

TAP Air Portugal to add Chicago and Washington

TAP Air Portugal aims to double operations in North America in the next years and is expanding again, adding two new routes to the United States in 2019 with nonstop service from Lisbon, to Washington, DC and Chicago.

TAP will commence five round-trip flights per week between Chicago O’Hare and Lisbon on June 1, 2019, and then add five weekly round-trips between Washington-Dulles and Lisbon on June 16, 2019.

Flights will depart Chicago O’Hare at 6:05 PM, arriving in Lisbon at 7:50 AM (next day). Returning flights leave Lisbon at 1:05 PM, arriving at O’Hare at 4:05 PM. From Washington Dulles, flights will depart at 10:40 PM, arriving in Lisbon at 10:50 AM (next day). Returning flights leave Lisbon at 4:30 PM, arriving at Dulles at 7:40 PM.

TAP is the launch carrier for the brand new Airbus A330-900neo aircraft, with 19 planned for delivery until the end of 2019. In all, TAP has a new fleet of 71 brand new aircraft being delivered until 2025, also including 19 A320neos, 17 A321neos, and 14 A321 Long Range jets. This huge fleet growth allows TAP to launch new destinations and spread the global network offered to the airline’s costumers.

The A330neo will feature the new Airspace by Airbus cabin. The economy cabin now comprises two categories: Economy and EconomyXtra. The configuration and design provide a fresh atmosphere, with more legroom, deeper seat recline, and new seat covers in shades of green and gray in Economy, and green and red in EconomyXtra.

In TAP’s Executive business class, the configuration now comprises 34 new fully-flat reclining chairs that are more than six feet long when fully reclined.

Also, TAP has powered up its new business class chairs to include USB slots and individual electrical sockets, connections for headphones, individual reading lights, and more space, including more storage room.

“We have 10 gateways in Brazil with service from Portugal. We believe we can support the same number to the US. So, we have several more new destinations in North America in our planning. USA are already TAP’s third major market worldwide and has great potential for further growth. Our network beyond Lisbon is also growing. We now serve 55 destinations in Europe and 17 in Africa and most of our passengers fly with TAP to final destinations beyond Portugal”, says Antonoaldo Neves, TAP’s CEO.

TAP introduced the Portugal Stopover program in 2016 to further attract the ‘beyond Lisbon’ guest. Travelers to all of TAP’s European and African served destinations can enjoy up to five nights in Lisbon or Porto along the way, for no extra airfare.

The Portugal Stopover comprises a network of more than 150 partners who provide exclusive offers for Stopover customers for hotels and shopping discounts and even a free bottle of Portuguese wine in participating restaurants.

Travelers can also enjoy a stopover in Lisbon or Porto even if their final destination is in Portugal, such as: Faro (Algarve); Ponta Delgada or Terceira (the Azores); and, Funchal or Porto Santo (Madeira).

Top Copyright Photo (all others by the airline): TAP Portugal – Air Portugal Airbus A330-941N F-WWKM (CS-TUA) (msn 1819) FAB (Antony J. Best). Image: 942899.

TAP aircraft slide show:

Airbus A330-900 receives EASA Type Certification

The Airbus A330-900 has received its Type Certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The aircraft is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines. The Type Certificate was signed by EASA’s Certification Director, Trevor Woods, and handed over by EASA’s Head of Large Aeroplanes Certification, Ludovic Aron, to Airbus’ Head of Engineering for Commercial Aircraft, Jean-Brice Dumont. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification is expected to follow shortly.

In agreement with TAP Air Portugal, its first built aircraft served as a demonstrator for route proving around the world visiting more than 12 countries. Together with the two A330-900 flight test aircraft, the certification flight test campaign was successfully completed in around 1,400 flight test hours in under a year since the first flight on October 19, 2017.

The A330neo is a true new-generation family comprising the A330-900 and its smaller sibling, the A330-800, which will make its first flight in the coming weeks. The A330-900 in particular is the lowest seat-mile cost 300-seater which incorporates highly efficient Rolls-Royce Trent 7000 engines, a new 3D-optimised wing and new sharklets with use of lighter composite materials. Together, these advances bring a significant reduction in fuel consumption of 25 per cent compared with older generation aircraft of similar size.

Passengers can expect the highest levels of comfort when flying on the A330neo, with the aircraft featuring the award-winning Airspace by Airbus cabin with newly designed sidewalls and fixtures, larger overhead storage, advanced cabin mood lighting and the latest in-flight entertainment and connectivity.

Operationally, the A330neo shares a common pilot type-rating with the larger A350 XWB, which facilitates minimum flight training cost and maximum pilot productivity. Maintenance personnel will also benefit from the aircraft’s new Skywise data connectivity features which will help them to predict potential issues before they arise, thus ensuring maximum productivity of the aircraft in revenue service.

The A330 is one of the most popular widebody families ever, having received over 1,700 orders from 120 customers. More than 1,400 A330s are flying with over 120 operators worldwide. The A330neo is the latest addition to the leading Airbus widebody family, which also includes the A350 XWB and the A380, all featuring unmatched space and comfort combined with unprecedented efficiency levels and unrivalled range capability.

Top Copyright Photo: TAP Portugal – Air Portugal Airbus A330-941N F-WWKM (CS-TUA) (msn 1819) FAB (Antony J. Best). Image: 942899.

TAP aircraft slide show:

TAP will fly from Lisbon to Tel Aviv, Dublin and Basel as of April 2019

TAP Portugal began selling flights to the three new destinations that will start operating in April 2019, Tel Aviv, Dublin and Basel.

According to TAP CEO, Antonoaldo Neves, these new routes are “another step in the path of strong strategic growth that the Company has been going through in recent years and will continue to develop”.

The flights between Lisbon and Tel Aviv, in Israel, carried out in Airbus A321 Long Range equipment, with a capacity for 168 passengers, will be daily, departing from the Portuguese capital at 02:20 pm and arriving in Israel at 09:30 pm. From Tel Aviv, depart at 5:05 am, arriving in Lisbon at 9:00 am.

For Dublin, TAP will offer two flights a day, departing from Lisbon at 7:05 am and 02:00 pm, and arriving at the capital of the Republic of Ireland at 9:50 am and 04:45 pm, from where they depart at 10:35 am and 05:30 pm, arriving at Humberto Delgado Airport, in Lisbon, at 01:15 pm and 08:10 pm. The route will be operated with Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft with capacity for 144 or 168 passengers.

Between Lisbon and Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg will also be operated two daily flights in Airbus A319 and A320 equipment. Departures from Lisbon at 6:40 am and 03:50 pm, arriving in Basel at 10:20 am and 07:30 pm. On the return, departures from Basel at 11:05 am and 08:15 pm, which land in Lisbon at 01:00 pm and 10:10 pm. Basel Airport is placed next to a tripartite border, serving simultaneously, beyond the Swiss city of Basel, the cities of Mulhouse (France) and Freiburg (Germany).

With the inauguration of these three new routes, TAP will fly to a total of 91 airports, in 88 cities of 36 countries.

Above Copyright Photo: TAP Portugal – Air Portugal Airbus A321-251N WL CS-TJI (msn 8270) ZRH (Rolf Wallner). Image: 942725.

In other news, TAP has named its new Airbus A321neo aircraft, the first A321neo of its fleet, Júlio Pomar, in homage to the Portuguese painter and sculptor.

The A321neo Júlio Pomar is the third of 37 aircraft to be delivered to TAP by the end of next year. TAP is going to get 71 new aircraft in all by 2025 to fully renew its fleet with more modern and comfortable aircraft that are technologically advanced and around 15% more efficient in terms of fuel consumption and the reduction of CO2 emissions.

Júlio Pomar (1926-2018) left a multifaceted collection of work, including paintings, sculptures, drawings, engravings and ceramics. It is a real honor to have Júlio Pomar flying with us.

Just like the current fleet, all new aircraft are going to be named after prominent Portuguese personalities from different areas of activity.

Gonçalo Velho Cabral first explored the Azores 600 years ago. TAP’s second A321neo inherited his name and adventurous spirit.

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