kodalip

For EWR, what is the absolute latest I can arrive at security without needing to check a bag? I have clear and TSA PreCheck. Booked a flight and realized I have a commitment in Philadelphia until about 8:30 for a 10:50 Departure

dkc192

Your timeline is doable but leaves no margin for error and depends on you being able to OLCI and get a BP without needing human agent intervention. Assuming a 1.5 hour drive from Philadelphia to EWR, you should get to EWR by 10-10:10pm, and security at that time of night should be quiet. But one bit of unexpected traffic or an unusually backed up security checkpoint, and you're toast.

kodalip

Thanks for that! Any idea about how set the long-haul schedule is? My flight is in October and I noticed the November flights leave at midnight which would give me a larger buffer so praying that change happens

dkc192

It's anyone's guess this far out. I will say there is also a chance that your October flight gets moved earlier rather than later.

Rpg101

Depends how fast you drive. 🤣 It's about 80 miles. 1:15 at the speed limit, plus 15 minutes to get on the I-95, plus at least 15 minutes to park the car. That puts you at the check-in at 10:15. The check-in closes one hour before as is an international flight. You may need to find 25 minutes to make it. With no luggage and online check-in you may make it. You have 15 minutes to make it through TSA and into the gate as the plane door may close 15 minutes prior to departure.

Personally I love the adrenaline rush in situations like this 🤣🤣🤣. Been there, done that, never missed a flight. Good luck

TheRaiden94

Hey guys, I have an upcoming flight from LIS -> Porto -> GRU and wanted to know when it would be the best option to upgrade from 'Plus' to 'Executive? Any tips?

ei124

I’m a solo traveler deciding between 2C and 3A on the A330 neo. How’s the extra footwell space in 2C (and does it make up for the “more exposed” position next to the aisle)?

I’m about 5’ 10” FWIW

davidsfo

Just flew for TAP the first time in J.....SFO to LIS and back. The good points....new planes...clean and comfortable .....great entertainment system. The outbound (eastbound) flight had a good and caring crew and service. As with most PM departures, everyone slept through most of the flight. The return flight from Lisbon to SFO was the worst customer service in J I've seen on numerous carriers' long haul. It was almost like the flight attendants were on strike. Due to winds, this was a 12 hour flight...probably the longest in the TAP network. There was virtually no turbulence, so excuse for the crew's poor service. The crew was totally absent for the first 1.5 hours of the flight before they conducted a rushed "main" service. They clearly were just doing as little as possible as quickly as possible.. They did a first beverage service with no refills followed by an immediate lunch service again without follow up service except for an immediate dessert service. They did everything within an hour. Their goal seemed to be "get and done" and over and disappear.. I stayed up during the entire flight and they were virtually gone for the next 9 hours of the flight. There were no walk-throughs to gather glasses or trash or see if guests needed anything.. Since this was a westbound AM departure, almost everyone was awake. People were pushing the call buttons and no one came for 5 minutes. The FAs not on break were busily chatting in the gallery and doing no service. The pre landing meal was the same deal...they accomplished it within 20 minutes for the entire cabin and then disappeared until literally we were on final approach to SFO. This is the type of service expected in Y, but not J where we're all paying a good premium. Maybe this crew was an anomaly but I heard FAs grousing about how TAP had not staffed the flights with an appropriate number of crew. I was hoping to add TAP to my list of go to carriers for trips to Europe, but I wouldn't waste the money on their J product unless every other carrier was much more expensive and had long connections.

estrela

Thanks for sharing. I had similar experiences in C on shorthaul with crew refusing to do any service.

This is a mix of portuguese entitlement and failed management. Crew thinking being better than providing good service to paying passengers and management incompetent to motivate and ensure performance.

Same happens everywhere in that country: Drivers speeding over red lights, parking on sidewalks, politicians taking money and police incompetent to control or even doing the same.

TAP is just much closer to TAAG than to Air France and other Western European carriers.

dcdaveo

Wish I had read the reviews before purchasing a business class ticket from IAD to LHR (through LIS).

Hard product is good. 2x2 or 1x1. Next time my wife and I will probably do the 1x1.

Soft product was horrible. It would be so easy to provide a pre departure beverage. The larger airlines with larger planes often do sparkling wine, water, or OJ option. With so few first seats they could easy do a drink to order. But no - nothing. Table cloth for dinner, but then plastic tray. Steak and bread hard as a rock (thank goodness we ate something in the Polaris Lounge at Dulles). Why not do a salad, bread, and drink. Then come back with the main. Then a final desert course. On the menu it said choclates for desert - I'm assuming the box the crew of cholates were eating the whole flight were for the business class customers (seriously? at least hide it a little). And then completely ignored. Lounge in LIS requires exit. Absolutely packed. The other lounge is a Priority Pass and had a line down the hallway. LIS to LHR - they could at least give you a bottle of water. Could chalk it up to a bad crew, but the return service was just as bad as the outbound. A little training of the staff, a little more attention to detail, and they could have a great product.

tmac100

Também ... I agree with the poor service. Poor CS as well wrt trying to get issues resolved. Still chatter about privatizing this airline - but without a change in management's "entitlement" attitude, little would change.

jsl42

Boarding A321 through door 1L makes this more difficult than on widebodies and 757s where you generally "turn left" into business class.

What were you expecting? Most business class products serve from a tray rather than right on a placemat these days.

Not surprised food was not good from an American outstation. Catering from Lisbon and Porto is generally far better than competitors' average in my experience. Seems like you got the abbreviated dinner service for late night departures—I'm sure just as many of your fellow travelers preferred to be served quickly before trying to sleep. Red eye flights from the east coast to Lisbon are about as short as they get.

As business class passengers, you had access to the TAP Atlântico Lounge in the non-Schengen portion of the terminal. Unless your trip happened before that lounge opened in January there was no need to enter and depart the EU.

TAP stocks two brands of quality Portuguese bottled water aboard London flights—Água das Pedras (naturally sparkling) and Luso (still). Were you denied at any point?

TAP has its challenges, but the product is quite good—really no worse than most of the competition—especially given the price. It seems like you're planning to be a repeat customer! ;-)

chrisny2

Had a nice flight on the 321LR from IAD-LIS. The service was friendly, if not over the top good. I was not woken for breakfast even though the FA specifically asked if I wanted to be, and said yes.

TheRaiden94

Me and the wife are planning to do LIS -> NAT for our birthday.

Anyone who did the route, recommends anything? We planning on upgrading via UpgradePlus instead of straight up buying the Business seat.

nk15

I disagree with the negative reviews. In my last euro J segment on TAP I was the only person in J and treated like a king. I also like the quicker meal service on the long hauls, and hate it when BA takes 3 hours to finish serving the main meal in J.

I just booked another discounted long haul one way in J with TAP to renew my *A Gold with A3, with the 200% crediting. I also trust the TAP catering blindly that there will be something tasty there, I would never dare to badmouth any south European food.

TBH, TAP is the only paid long haul J I fly these days, to keep my *A gold...All my other long haul J flights are with miles on AA, BA, and IB. But TAP, I give them hard cold cash...