Jon222

Hello, I'm considering whether TAP business class is worth it on a European flight (3 hours). For some airlines there is hardly a difference from economy, can anyone share what the difference is with TAP - better seats, more legroom, blocked middle seats, etc?

IAN-UK

I think we've been round this a few times - you could possibly find more in this forum.

Essentially TP follows the other European carriers in proving a C-cabin separated from the rest of the aircraft by an adjustable curtain, and offering blocked centre-seats (at least on one side of the aisle).

Food is usually good.

The distinguishing feature of TP - more noticeable in business-class - is the variability in service levels. You can get enthusiastic, charming crews: but you you can get others who finish the meal service a quickly as possible, then hide in their curtained-off galley.

With a business-class ticket, enjoy the airport frills, but if you have *G status then you'd get that anyway.

Palal

For intra-EU service, you'll either get a 2+2 config with blocked middles (unlikely, only a few planes with that), or you'll get a weird 2+3 seating configuration, where on the port side you have a blocked half-seat, while on the starboard you have 3 seats, which are wider than normal. All of these may be filled if the biz cabin is full.

Also, if you're flying economy, and the biz curtain is forward enough, you can snag one of the seats with the blocked middle if you request it early enough.

IAN-UK

The A_C first row, with the B seat narrowed to match the seating in the business-class cabin, is a safety consideration. The idea is that aisle width should be consistent on either side of the curtain.

The risk of early snagging of the A_C first row in Y is curtain shifting. There's an entire thread devoted to this in the BA forum. You can lessen the risk by checking cabin configuration when this becomes (more or less) set, 2 or 3 days out: though you might still be upset at check-in.

If the curtain-shift is forward, you end up in the second or third row of the economy cabin in an ABC three seat combination. Not a tragedy but a disappointment.

Worse is if business-class needs to expand, and your row gets absorbed into the new front cabin. Sadly you don't move with the seat , you might find yourself shunted back to a middle-seat at the back of the aircraft. More than a disappointment.


Less expected was a TP crew member winding out the B seat of my A_C front row, creating a middle seat for an unexpected passenger.

TPJ

IMHO, if you are an EBG - and have lounge access and extra baggage based on status - C-class is not worth it (unless client or another person pays for your trip).

NUNO

Dear Jon222,

Yes, the inconsistency can be a killer! Just flew LIS to BOD in C this December, right before Christmas and the codfish was delicious, the wines, including the sparkling, were reasonable. Yes, it was the EMB 145 operated by PGA, one of the few airline companies in the world serving ice cream in season, the other being Qantas (serves the ice cream in the lounges). The service was very attentive, with only one passenger in C (moi)