Last chance for TAP

The Minister of Infrastructure and Housing, Pedro Nuno Santos, has said that Portugal “will lose its centrality in the aviation business” if TAP's restructuring plan is not approved by Brussels, something that will lead to its closure, he assured.

By TPN/Lusa, in Business, Tourism, Portugal · 15 Dec 2021, 12:33 · 8 Comments

Returning to expressing confidence that the plan will be approved by the end of the year, the government official warned that "if TAP does not have the restructuring plan approved, it will close and Portugal will lose its central position in the aviation business".

According to Pedro Nuno Santos, without TAP, the ‘hub’ (flight connection centre) in Portugal will be located in Madrid.

“We are talking about the only airline operating in Portugal that has a hub, which makes intercontinental trips between Brazil, USA, Africa and Portugal and distributes to the rest of Europe”, he stressed.

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Comments

TAP artificially books slots it knows won't use in order to block foreign airlines with better prices. In return, the Portuguese from Madeira pay absurd amounts to travel to Lisbon, all Portuguese finance a company that is a shame to Portugal's name and reputation, it mistreats customers or simply ignores them. I wish the EU Comission was bold enough to stop this company bullying Portuguese taxpayers and competition with Portuguese major authorities awareness.

By Diogo from Lisbon on 15 Dec 2021, 13:07

If TAP's routes were profitable, the airline's appalling management over the years may not have made such a monumental mess of its business.

Portugal “will lose its centrality in the aviation business” according to Pedro Nuno Santos. Is this such a bad thing? The privately owned airline sector is adept at sniffing out profitable routes and it should not be down to Portugal's taxpayers to subsidise an airline for the purpose of political point-scoring.

Is there anything stopping other airlines from running 'intercontinental trips between Brazil, USA, Africa and Portugal' and onwards to the rest of Europe ? I suspect the answer is "yes, TAP."

By Paul Rees from Lisbon on 15 Dec 2021, 14:41

TAP down the gurgler then? How many direct and indirect jobs will that cost? Maybe Portugal could ask for a handout from China? That would improve our lot (rolls eyes and sighs).

By Ian from Lisbon on 15 Dec 2021, 15:35

Does TAP deserve to be saved?They cancelled my flights between Alicante and Lisbon and return in September without even bothering to inform me. Requests for €146.10 to be refunded have been ignored. Appalling non-customer service.

By Gordon Newlands from Other on 16 Dec 2021, 08:46

Until Portugal decides to become a real European country of the 21st century (instead of cultivating poverty and decrepit villages where no one lives), it really does not need its own airline. TAP is a leech where EU funds go to line private pocket. Inefficient and corrupt (as so much else in Portugal).

By K from Algarve on 16 Dec 2021, 10:45

We flew Tap last year from San Francisco to Lisbon. We had our flight changed 6 times before our departure, and 4 times once we arrived in Portugal. We will never fly TAP again even our life depended on it, they are just to un-reliable to depend on!!!! There are way to many dependable airlines airlines out there that will match any low-ball fare TAP may put out there.

By Steven Heidloff from USA on 16 Dec 2021, 17:07

Unfortunately I see only negative comments from mostly UK citizens and US… I travelled fir many years around the world for business and pleasure and I want to stress here that TAP is a really good airline where you can trust on. It is so easy to demolish the image of an airline or company by writing thinks based on one personal negative experience.. Inhad a lot too with big companies like Delta, AA, Air France or KLM.. Wish good luck to TAP!! They deserve a chance.

By Pierre from Algarve on 16 Dec 2021, 23:29

Regarding the comment from Pierre in the Algarve, that at TAP, "They deserve a chance" it's a question of how many chances does this airline need before the government accepts that it is keeping it flying for political, not commercially sane reasons?

Successive management teams under both State and private control have failed to alter the airline's course.

If a large State-owned business such as TAP survives only on taxpayer handouts, the EU should halt its disguised subsidies and the Portuguese government should sell the business assets, aircraft and routes.

Many assert that the reason the airline exists at all, is that it employs lots of voters.

By Paul Rees from Lisbon on 17 Dec 2021, 11:06