The aircraft is one of two special livery planes ordered by the 72-year-old national flag-carrier.
In a statement, the airline explained the classic image chosen for this aircraft recreates the original ‘Transportes Aéreos Portugueses’ typography in the colours that were first displayed on a Lockheed Super Constellation aircraft, received by TAP in July of 1955.
The last aircraft in this livery was a Boeing 727-200.
The Airbus A330-300 has been named ‘Portugal’, as a tribute to both TAP’s history, and also to the country itself.
The livery of the new ‘Portugal’ aircraft is part of a TAP series to celebrate the historical and inseparable connection between TAP, Portugal and its people, according to the flag carrier.
TAP has a fleet of 53 new aircraft on order for delivery in the coming years, including 14 A330-900 neo aircraft, and also 39 A320 neo aircraft also.
The airline is expanding capacity as it opens new routes, such as the recent Toronto-Lisbon service that was inaugurated on 10 June.
‘Portugal’ will operate long-haul commercial flights, promoting Portugal across international borders, to North and South America, as well as Africa.
The A330 CS-TOV accommodates up to 285 passengers.
This is the second TAP aircraft that has received the name of the country. The first one to be called ‘Portugal’ was a Boeing 747-200, delivered to TAP in February of 1972.
Avid plane spotters turned out in force to catch a glimpse of the aircraft and were complimentary of the throwback.
To mark the occasion an exhibition flight between Lisbon and Porto was carried out on Monday, before the aircraft entered official operations.