However, a quick search on social media is enough to find several people very unhappy with this Portuguese airline, which is owned 72.5 percent by the state. The Portugal News spoke to four of these people.
In 2019, Tânia bought two TAP tickets for March 2020, but then the pandemic happened, her flights were cancelled and she is still awaiting reimbursement. "I've sent many messages demanding my refund, but TAP is playing dead."
“Although the European Union has said that airlines have to either return the money or give a voucher, TAP has never given the option of returning the money. The only thing that happened when I asked for a refund, on TAP's webpage, they sent a voucher code! And guess what? I am still trying to get my money back,” she told The Portugal News.
In the same boat is Dan, who was coming to Lisbon for a holiday in the first quarter of 2021, but had his flight cancelled.
“Their instructions for claiming a cash refund was so confusing, I ended up getting a voucher instead. I spent countless hours on the phone trying to get them to change the voucher into a cash refund”, he said.
“On their cancellation message, TAP said ‘click here to claim a refund’ and so I followed the instructions – it was in Portuguese so I had to translate it myself – The next day I got a voucher so I think the original message was very misleading. I’m still waiting”.
Happy endings
Michael, a US citizen, living in Brazil, was one of the lucky ones that had their money back, but not from TAP. “TAP was unwilling to giving me the cash back but as I have a credit card I contacted my bank and they refunded me. I was able to get my money back”.
“I understand that airlines are in a difficult situation but if you are going to take someone’s money for a service, then you need to make yourself available to talk to people, especially if you are going to change flight dates. They moved mine one day after. There was no way to get there”, he said.
On the other hand, in January 2020 Paul booked flights for four people and paid with a bank transfer, which made it difficult to get a refund. However, Paul did not stop fighting until he got what he wanted.
“After 90 days, we still had no refund. After more hours of calling them, they just said it was taking longer because of the volume of refunds. It was clear from Twitter, Facebook and forums that many other TAP passengers were in the same situation and TAP was not refunding anyone”
“I decided to start a formal complaint process, and take legal action if required. The first step was to file a complaint with the Livro de Reclamações online. TAP has two weeks to respond, but they ignored the complaint. Therefore, a month or so later I contacted the regulator of their industry, ANAC, to take action. ANAC brushed me off, basically saying it was nothing to do with them that the national airline they are supposed to regulate was quite evidently not complying with EU law on refunds. So the whole complaints process in Portugal seems to be pointless, businesses can simply ignore complaints and the regulators won't act. I followed up to the EU Justice Commissioner. I explained the steps I had taken to obtain the refund via Portuguese consumer rights laws and the lack of response I'd got from Portuguese authorities.”
“At this point, things started to move. I got a response from ANAC saying they had contacted TAP and instructed them to resolve the complaint. A few weeks later we finally got our refunds,” Paul said.
TAP giving refunds
TAP recognises that there is a problem due to the huge pressure caused by the border restrictions. However, TAP claims that they are doing their best to figure it out.
"In recent months we have seen an increase in the number of calls received. The airline has been working on its teams and technological tools to face these situations within a reasonable time. To get a real idea of the problem, before the pandemic, TAP was prepared to deal with around 20,000 contacts per month. After the pandemic, TAP started to receive around 200,000 contacts per month. Ten times more”, said an official source
“TAP has set aside an important part of its budget each month for reimbursement payments and has been working hard to respond to all requests as quickly as possible. By the beginning of October, 98.8 percent of the requests had already been paid, representing a total value of €676.8 million”, the TAP source said.
Paula Martins is a fully qualified journalist, who finds writing a means of self-expression. She studied Journalism and Communication at University of Coimbra and recently Law in the Algarve. Press card: 8252
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I love TAP. I traveled a lot during COVID (because I had to) and they were the most reasonable, helpful airline I dealt with. I got my refund a lot faster than I did from other airlines (I had a bunch of flights get cancelled when trying to return to Portugal). Also they're nicer than any other airline in my opinion.
By Susan from Porto on 28 Oct 2021, 17:57
Shut down TAP. It's an awful airline, it sucks up money which should be invested in more urgent areas in Portugal. Such a corrupt, inefficient country as Portugal does not need such a terrible airline. Obviously it's going to be business as usual - i.e. sucking up money and keeping the status quo of bad services and horrendous airports (arriving in Lisbon is worse than many developing countries).
By K from Algarve on 28 Oct 2021, 18:18
I have an awful opinion of TAP, ANAC and PAN (the people-animals-nature political party that neglects serial pet passenger murder history by TAP while voraciously pursuing joe/jane-does guilty of same or lesser crimes). I guess opinion comes down to our personal experiences with these “entities”.
By guida from Lisbon on 29 Oct 2021, 04:49
Sempre viajei na TAP e na British airways, sao iguais, as pessoas que dizem mal da TAP so provam a ma informacao que tem em relacao a TAP.... ate parece que o que e Portugues nao presta. Bem se ve que tudo que vem de fora e que e bom....eu nao tenho problemas com a TAP
By Antonio from UK on 29 Oct 2021, 07:30
Since 2020 March I have been waiting refund. EU help for consumeres have helped me, without a result.
TAP is playing delay-game for reaching 2 years limit for refund. After that, it is almost impossible to get refund in any way. Very disappointed for TAP and their action. Truly fraud.
By pecos from Algarve on 29 Oct 2021, 07:56
It's about time someone exposed TAP for their don't care attitude.
My fist issue is vouchers from last year is not valid could not use them at all. I lost Miles with a ticket that wa cancelled. This year my ticket was cancelled on my return flight from Prague so I had to purchase a new one for 500 euro
No one from TAP answrs my emails or social media messenges.
As I person that has been involved in the hospitality, events industry one bad taste from an apple the hole bowl will be thrown in the trash.
Portugal is be of the most amazing destinations in the world, however every that links to it plays a vital role in the keeping in together. I call it the golden thread, but at the moment TAP is the nylon string that is going to break and the national carrier is going to do more harm then just complains from unhappy passengers. Take this from someone that did events for an award winning airline that is adiscrased airline.
Fix your problems TAP you don't want another airlines to bring in the travellers to Beautiful Portugal
By Johannes Izak Els from Lisbon on 29 Oct 2021, 10:30
If we compare TAP to Ryanair, which one would be more honest in refunds? There are so many good airlines with PT destinations, so if you select the cheapest option you end up with these kind of problems.
By Peter from Other on 29 Oct 2021, 12:38
I have been working on this issue since 2019. Vouchers were issued after an extensive amount of time, and losing the cost I paid for upgrades. Then vouchers were used to book a second flight which was cancelled and that's where I am now. With a partial return of funds for the upgrades I paid on the second trip and abiout 25% of my orginal voucher returned to be in yet more vouchers. I have been working on getting this corrected to NO AVAIL, ONLY IT's being escalated. Come on! Not a good experience at all.
By Teresa Scheiwe from USA on 29 Oct 2021, 13:37
Don't understand why TAP are giving so much business Away to other airlines line easy jet & Ryanair. Why Dont they fly from Manchester to faro?
By Marie Musa from UK on 29 Oct 2021, 13:58
I sent complaints to TAP for two trips, but they ignored these complaints, even though I emailed it countless times, I never get a response. When TAP calls to sell (they do that quite often) I point this out every time, they just say it's not their department and then they end the call. I have not received any money back and no voucher either. The last time I flew, they tried to say that I had to have a test to fly, even though I carefully checked the rules, no test was needed and it was close I was not allowed to come with that flight. That was the drop, it was the last time I flew with TAP. Otherwise, I have been happy with them, but when there are problems, they are not a reliable airline. In the future, I will choose other airlines, never again TAP.
By Lenny from Lisbon on 29 Oct 2021, 14:07
In Nov 2020, a TAP system error meant that I was issued a booking ref and itinerary, but not tickets. Leaving me stranded at the airport and out of pocket for hotels and hire car. I'm still waiting for compensation. I raised a complaint on their system (itself an ordeal without a ticket number), only to find it had been binned with ZERO consideration as far as I can tell. ZERO communication. I've opened another ticket as a follow up, but won't be flying with them again if that's the way they treat paying customers. An absolute SHAMBLES of an airline
By gary taylor from Lisbon on 29 Oct 2021, 14:21
I have been trying to receive a refund for 2 flights that were cancelled by TAP for almost a year. I have even told them I would settle for vouchers as long as they have a reasonable expiration date. After being promised months ago that my situation would be resolved shortly, they no longer even respond to my requests. Prior to the pandemic they were my favorite airline but like with most relationships, you don't know what you're dealing with until there is a problem.
By Irma C Clement from USA on 29 Oct 2021, 15:35
I have been writing many letters, had to receive $1.700 but received once $78 and a second time $778 this was two weeks ago. Now I am waiting for the rest of the refund. We booked a return flight from israel to Portugal and during our stay in Portugal a return flight from Lisboa to Funchal. If TAP belongs to the state of Portugal why do they not take care of this problem.
By Mol from Other on 29 Oct 2021, 16:12
I booked two tickets from Galicia to London via Lison with TAP, to return home after the Camino. Within days they cancelled the flights and offered only vouchers. Under EU law they should have offered to reroute me, but failed to do so even when I reminded them of the regulations. Trying to get through to TAP is incredibly difficult, and I wasted quite a lot of money on unsuccessful phone calls. ( which of course TAP will not refund me for). Eventually I booked alternative flights with Ryanair and told TAP I expected them to pay for these slightly more expensive flights. Suddenly they paid me only a refund of what I paid for the original flights. Their responses to my emails (once I got someone to engage with me at all !) have been obtuse, factually incorrect, and on occasion just plain rude. TAP knows the regulations, but pretends it does not. The current CEO invited customers to write to her direct if they have concerns, but to date none of my mails to her have even been acknowledged. For some reason I had thought TAP was a quality airline. No longer.
By Francis William Keegan from UK on 29 Oct 2021, 16:15
I agree with the article that TAP is always trying to evade any claim. Not only during but also before covid any honest claim will be delayed or better: be lost on the woods as long as possible, even when the authorities are on your side. And besides that: the quality of service on airport and in-flight is plummeting, it starts to look like a low cost airline service for a full service price. I was a fan of TAP but not anymore. And apart from that: SATA is even worse...
By Herman Dommering from Other on 29 Oct 2021, 16:16
TAP compared to LATAM are streets ahead LATAM claimed a flight was cancelled and we were stuck in Brazil for 2 weeks despite the flight flying As confirmed by Flight Tracker the only saving grace were staff in Belem LATAM will not honour the incurred cost (not compensation) as we don’t live in Brazil believe me stick with TAP
By Chris Strike from UK on 29 Oct 2021, 17:29
It is impossible to get hold of TAP on the phone. I was placed on hold twice for 1hr and 50 minutes and then they cut me off.
I received a voucher for a third of the value of my ticket and when I try to use the voucher to book another flight, I am unable to do so!
By Annaliese Lubowski from UK on 29 Oct 2021, 17:41
Thankfully, it appears, I had no TAP flights cancelled over the course of the pandemic. However, although our contributor above has brought them into this discussion, I find myself defending them as I had many (8+...) flights cancelled by Ryanair primarily between Dublin & Faro but also Faro to UK and, in every case, I either had a cash refund within a couple of months or vouchers which I was able to use without ANY problems when flights were back again. Ryanair do get a bad rep from time to time, and I've been a detractor on occasion also, but have had little or no issues at all relating to this topic of cancellations / refunds. 'Credit where Credit is due' (Pun intended!!).
By Robbie from Algarve on 29 Oct 2021, 18:27
Don't expect a refund anytime soon...The New Budget for 2022 was rejected...With or Without EU bailouts, the country is Bankrupt...period...TAP is beyond Tapped Out...
By Sachi Squatchmo from Lisbon on 29 Oct 2021, 19:41
I have sent countless messages, including one to the CEO, but still no results. It is nineteen months already.
By Marcel Beztilny from Other on 29 Oct 2021, 20:45
They are scammers. I have thousands of dollars of vouchers that they gave me after a confusing refunding procedure, they refuse to give my money back and the trip that we originally booked doesn't exist anymore. It's impossible to reach to them over the phone and when you arrive to, they say they can't do anything and they send you to their web, that it's also useless and only offers vouchers. Scammers!!!! This is so infuriating!!!
By Bruno Cendon Martin from USA on 30 Oct 2021, 04:23
The percentage of "processed" cases Tap Portugal refers to could be a fraud, observing the hundreds of people daily complaining about refund across various social media. What I expect is with "processed" they point on the fact that the refund status have been changed from "under analysis" towards "approved", but after this the financial department needs to make their move on refund or repayment towards originally used payment method by customer. Summarized it is amazing a European controlled organisation with the size of an enterprise could got away - and still get away with this behaviour, ignoring the promises made to European taskforce team recently, together with 15 other airlines. Its a shame for the portugueze people they will end up paying for this soon to be state owned organisation.
By Mark from Other on 30 Oct 2021, 09:19
To K from Algarve; if Portugal is such a terrible country, than what are you doing here???
By Carina from Porto on 30 Oct 2021, 09:57
TAP has received €1.9 billion loans from the Portuguese Tax Payer. That is €185 per resident (men, women & children) the majority of whom never fly TAP.
By Michael Bridgman from Algarve on 31 Oct 2021, 08:39
Misleading journalism here. Quoting a figure for the amount paid out in refunds does not mean that all refund requests have been processed. TAP says it has processed 98.8% of them, which means that 1.2% are outstanding. If there were tens of thousands of refund requests (perfectly possible), this would imply still several hundred refunds are pending. That's a lot in terms of numbers, but I wish journalists could count instead of banding around alarmist stories. It is also difficult to take a view on each individual case, as no-one can know exactly the issues that gave rise to a refund request. What you read on social media can also be misleading given the propensity of users to be the most vocal and dramatic about their own situation.
By Billy Bissett from Porto on 31 Oct 2021, 10:12
BEWARE !! This is how we lost more than 680 € ! Helping TAP to pay commercials…
The most stupid thing I’ve done in the past 18 months was to buy a ticket with TAP AIR PORTUGAL ! I couldn’t imagine that one and a half year later I would still trying to get my money back for a flight they cancelled ! I’d better have played this money in a lottery or thrown it throughout my window ! Everyone has to know that buying a plane ticket with this company is AT YOUR OWN RISKS ! You will not fly, you will not get refund, and you will never have someone to talk to !
TAP = TAKE ANOTHER PLANE !!!
By THIERRY GRAS from Other on 02 Nov 2021, 06:05
TAP, the only people that have had a refund are the staff, they don’t know the meaning of the words, “Customer Service”.
By Dave Beese from UK on 02 Nov 2021, 20:09
Had 4 tickets to 2 different destination booked with TAP and then Covid hit. I was told I would at first get a refund, that never happened, then vouchers that were only good for a year. We are out almost $2,000.00 dollars and are tired of the run around we were getting from TAP. We want a full refund for our tickets.
By Leslie from USA on 05 Nov 2021, 21:55
The situation is even worse. I have a voucher and am looking at rebooking and TAP Portugal says the voucher has been used already. I have not flew any where. PLEASE HELP I was want the voucher to be honoured and if I have to pay extra fees it's okay but I do not want to lose ALL my money.
By Eira Ramos from Other on 07 Feb 2022, 17:34