Other European Frequent Flyer Programs - TAP seating

Hello all,

I just booked a trip to LHR-LIS-FNC return and called up TAP to get seats assigned (as there appeared to be no way of doing this online). The lovely operator gave me seats in what she told me was the first row of the Economy cabin for all flights (which I assume will depend on the divider on the day - I don't know if TP is as subject to seat/curtain shifting as their counterparts at BA for example!) First time on TP so they are a bit of an unknown to me in terms of seating penchants.

However there were two things she said which made me wonder slightly, and thought maybe some of the more frequent TP flyers on the forum could help clear up...

1. FNC-LIS is on a Portugalia-operated F100. She gave me 3AC which looking at the seat map on the PGA site looks as if it is Executive Class?

2. LIS-LHR is on a TP A320. She gave me 5AC and said there was no seat in the middle. :confused: All the seat maps I see for TP's 320s have the standard 3-3 config the whole way down (I assume in C the middle seat is blocked but I don't see why this would be the case for Y?)

Any thoughts gratefully received!

Hi, PGA don't expect much because usually they have old planes. Maybe its a no executive class on that flight.
While on TAP you have some executive seats. I wouldn't go with the 1st row after them. They are usually too close from the front row compared to other seats.

Have a nice flight to Madeira!

2. LIS-LHR is on a TP A320. She gave me 5AC and said there was no seat in the middle. :confused: All the seat maps I see for TP's 320s have the standard 3-3 config the whole way down (I assume in C the middle seat is blocked but I don't see why this would be the case for Y?)

If I remember well, TAP is one of the airlines that has "adaptable" seating in the first few rows of their A320s. The seats can be converted from a 3-3 to a 2-3 layout so that C-class passengers have a little bit more space (width).
But very often they just leave the 2-3 layout for the first few rows, even if they are used for Economy. This would explain the 5AC (with 5B non-existing for that flight - it will be reduced to a very narrow seat unsuitable for most normal healthy passengers :)).

LX (for instance) also used to have this system before they switched to their new "thin" seats.

If I remember well, TAP is one of the airlines that has "adaptable" seating in the first few rows of their A320s. The seats can be converted from a 3-3 to a 2-3 layout so that C-class passengers have a little bit more space (width).
But very often they just leave the 2-3 layout for the first few rows, even if they are used for Economy. This would explain the 5AC (with 5B non-existing for that flight - it will be reduced to a very narrow seat unsuitable for most normal healthy passengers :)).

That's exactly it. The first row of Y/CL, and only the first row, is 2-3, with B being blocked and very narrow. This is to avoid the cart coming from behind the curtain and bumping into a pax.

I wouldn't go with the 1st row after them. They are usually too close from the front row compared to other seats.

Not true. Exactly same pitch as the other seats - couldn't be otherwise, as the pitch is the same in every row until the emergency exit rows and the divider is moveable.

Keep 5A/5C ;)

That's exactly it. The first row of Y/CL, and only the first row, is 2-3, with B being blocked and very narrow. This is to avoid the cart coming from behind the curtain and bumping into a pax.

Thanks everyone - so same config style as BA then. I think I was thrown by the reports that read that the middle seat in C was just blocked, rather than collapsed inwards.

If the divider is moveable is there a risk that (say) row 4 will become the first row in Y and so 5B will end up with someone sitting there (or conversely if the C cabin grows bigger that we will be chucked out of row 5 into something not only undesirable but also insulting, e.g. 22B?)

Having read the replies I rang back and got 5AC for my other Airbus legs as well so now I have three flights riding on the answer to the above question!

As you acknowledge, it's all a bit of a gamble. The risk of disappointment makes micro-managing seat selection a frustration, and something best avoided.

Things should be fixed by the time online check-in is available. If then your front row of economy position is maintained, great; if not you can search for a reasonable alternative.

To make things even less predictable, on a recent LIS LHR flight the cabin attendant wound out the collapsed B seat next to me (5A) to accommodate an extra passenger.

Recent experiences from ARN-LIS and LIS-ARN onboard TAP 320.

4 rows of J with 2+3 seating, B was shrunk, E was expanded. Unluckily I sat on row 5. Comfort of seating + pitch were ok. Enough thigh support as well compared to slim line seats almost all other carriers seem to favour these days. The safety video was very catching, with some humour embedded in it.

A warm meal was served both ways, a small tasty salad, beef+potatoes other way and mashed potatoes with minced meat gravy the other way. Smallish bun of bread, a triangle of cheese, and small dessert much enriched with sugar. One drink round (water, soft drinks, beer, white or red wine - in plastic cups). The second round consisted of coffee/tea only. By asking nicely, another cupful of wine was possible, but after that nada. There were no Portuguese specialties such as port or vinho verde available in the cattle class. Which is a pity on such a tourist oriented route. Duration of flight was 4 hours to LIS and 3.5 hours to ARN. I do not suppose having *G in the passenger manifest was of any help - no recognition for it at all.

The airport seemed very congested around 6 pm. It was interesting to observe, whether or not we would hit the BA 320 about to depart, when we rolled to our stand, which could not be called remote from the airport buildings.

When coming back, check in was quick using the *G TAP desk, FAST was printed to the boarding pass and it allowed use of Green line through the security. As in LHR or many other places, it was not speedier than the regular safety lines. Lots of sunday travelers enroute that day and the security seemed to take forever for some of them. All done as should, no beep from the metal detector, but yet a full course of manual search and poking with the electric tennis racket took place.

The lounges are nothing to brag about. In ARN, the SAS Scandinavian lounge was available. Small, congested, and with limited offerings. But with a civilised ambiance. In LIS the TAP Premium lounge for *G, a congested space, quite tasty offerings including different types of sandwiches and small bites, sparkling wine available. What was not evident for the loud (with their cell phones) and rather arrogant DYKWIA:s plentiful in number, that fellow travelers would enjoy seats more than their precious hand luggage - all five pieces of them for one traveler. Sparse table areas were inhabited by the laptop tappers. After having munched my sandwiches and consumed my glass of champagne by standing at the far corner, I gave the lounge ladies a suggestion: perhaps signs that "keep your luggage on floor and give also to other passengers a chance to have a seat" would help.

Headed then to the contract Blue lounge using Priority pass. This lounge handles also the BA status and Club passengers. Coffee + tea, basic white and red wines, and only sweet bakery offerings available. Fortunately the flight was to leave soon.

No priority boarding took place in ARN. In LIS, the business class passengers and *G cardholders were allowed to the jetway first, and after some 10 minute waiting also to the plane.

Would I do this trip again? Yes, for the marvellous places Lisbon and Cascais/Estoril are - but not onboard TP! LH via FRA or MUC it will be.

Would I do this trip again? Yes, for the marvellous places Lisbon and Cascais/Estoril are - but not onboard TP! LH via FRA or MUC it will be.

Each to his/her own of course. But your proposed course of action will not avoid the awfulness of LIS; or even ARN.

What it will do is increase your journey time considerably and introduce the additional awfulness of a connection through FRA. A high price for that third glass of wine :)