TAP Portugal
 

Can anyone share any info about this airline? Reliability, etc.

We flew on TAP from Lisbon to Malaga, Spain in 2003 and they were fine. We actually had bought a $99 (US) voucher from europebyair and it was much cheaper than TAP's regular fare.

We just did a round trip with them from Newark to Lisbon.
All flights were on time and fine.

The food was no worse than any other airline food.

We just flew TAP roundtrip from Newark to Porto. The Airbus planes are very new, very roomy and very clean. Best of all, the personal videos are quite sophisticated, giving passengers great choices of movies, etc., even in economy.

Our Tuesday return was only half full and thus very comfortable.

However, be aware that TAP has now changed it FF rules to only allow 50% redemption of miles in the Star Alliance. that was a disappointment. Still the plane was so much larger than that used by the only other direct flight -- US Air that it was worth the reduction.

One last drawback: It was not possible to speak with a TAP agent in the US. We bought our tickets online and, without a travel agent, that was the only option.

Still I'd fly with them again.

2 confusing items in the post by "dove":

1) <i>&quot;Be aware that TAP has now changed it FF rules to only allow 50% redemption of miles in the Star Alliance&quot;</i>
What is meant here is that the cheapest economy fares only <u>earn</u> 50% of the full FF mileage. All European airlines have such rules. The redemption of miles from a Star Alliance FF program for a free ticket or upgrade on TAP is subject to the same conditions as for any other member airline.

2) <i>&quot;One last drawback: It was not possible to speak with a TAP agent in the US.&quot;</i>

TAP has a toll-free reservations number in the US: 1 800 221 73 70

http://www.flytap.com/USA/en/Contacts/

Hope this helps,
Andre

We redeemed miles for our trip. Initially, US Airways did not assign us seats but they gave us a US number to call TAP which we did and they assigned us seats over the phone.

I've flown TAP Air Portugal between the Portuguese Mainland and the A&ccedil;ores: no problem on flights to / from Sao Miguel or Terceira. TAP has a good flight safety record. We coincided with a British Tour Group in Lisbon; they said jokingly: TAP = Take Another Plane. Brit Humour!

I've flown TAP from Lisbon to Funchal, Madeira-no problems.

We flew TAP to Venice this spring. I called the toll free number. The agent was extremely pleasant. I was impressed that she recommended paying for the tickets at a future date--I forget how close to the actual trip. She suggested that we wait to pay in case our plans changed. The price of our tickets was locked in. I am used to having to pay up front and then pay a large change fee should your plans change. I liked dealing with them

Just to clarify my comments on the 50% miles credit. The TAP website explains their FF rules and that some fares do not include or partially include FF credit. We purchased fares that promised 100% credit, paying about $100 extra for the ticket.

On June 1, however, the airline apparently began a new agreement with the Star Alliance so that the most you can get on an economy ticket is 50% credit. Because we flew to Portugal on May 23, we received 100% credit for miles on the flight over. However, our return flight on June 3 only qualified for 50% credit, according to US Airways.

thanks for the information on the toll free line. I searched the TAP website at length for such a number but did not find it. Is there another location to find the number?

Andre-Thank you so much for the TAP 800#. I needed to find out how much our bags can weigh from Lisbon to Madeira. This site is the |&quot;Ask ||||&amp; ye shall receive&quot; We leave for Portugal in 43 days &amp; counting down-Chris

As I've mentioned before, when I took TAP from EWR-LIS I'd ordered a special seafood meal (stupid) and got extreme food poisoning and had to go to the hospital after 2 continuous days in the bathroom for rehydration.

Other than that, the flight was fine.