Christine Ourmières-Widener has announced TAP will have to cancel 360 flights due to the crew's strike scheduled for December 8 and 9, which will have an estimated impact of €8 million on revenues. The CEO says she cannot wait for the meeting of the National Union of Civil Aviation Flight Personnel (SNPVAC) in which the final decision will be taken on the stoppage, scheduled for the 6th, in order to “protect customers”.

According to ECO, if the strike goes ahead, it will affect about half of the air carrier's capacity for the two days, including Portugália. Flights were 60% booked and the strike affects 50,000 passengers, the executive president said during a press conference. About 25% of passengers have already rebooked flights. The estimated impact on revenues is €8 million euros, a sum that Christine Ourmières-Widener justifies with the mitigation measures taken in the meantime.

“Our priority is to protect our customers. We received the strike notice on Monday. The union decided to keep the general meeting for the 6th, but whatever the decision, because of the size of TAP, it will be too late”, said the CEO, justifying the decision to cancel 360 flights scheduled for the 8th and 9th of December. “If we don't take action now, then it will have a huge impact on our customers,” she added.

“We will manage the situation, but we want to sit down at the table and see how we can progress more constructively”, said the executive president, keeping the door open for dialogue with the crew in the future. Asked whether she expects strikes from other professionals, namely aircraft maintenance technicians, the official said that at the moment she has no indication in this regard.