tmac100

So you are saying that the other TAP flights that were late were all due to equipment breakdowns - like the broken arm on the push-back unit (that did not even belong to TAP). Hummm.... 🤔

IAN-UK

Nope. I have no idea where you gathered that notion.

I'm saying TAP has an ingrained problem with punctuality.

fly2nrt

Well... they try to bring you a true Portuguese experience.

minhaoxue

huh??? No where in my statement did I say it was TP's fault. I was just pointing out the reason why there was an initial 4 hour delay turned into a 6 hour delay was because the arm breaking. <redacted>

Palal

TAP does not have a punctuality problem. TAP runs on time. on Portuguese time.

It's the rest of ya that want everything to be on-time to the second.

Seriously though - it IS a cultural issue with every single TP and groundforce worker - they don't get it and they won't until there's a culture shift that starts at the management level. I don't see that happening any time soon, unless more articles come out saying how late TP always is. (For some reason Portuguese people love to know what others think about them and their country).

Unterwegs

Just my limited experience of 4 flights with them, once from Maputo to LIS on a 340 and then a few days later to Germany on a E190, second from Germany to LIS on an A320 and then on to YYZ on an 330 (not the neo).
Very mixed experience depending on the plane type and the crew.
A340 had ancient angled flat 2-2-2 seats in business class, relatively dense and not well kept.
A330 had staggered seats 1-2-1 and 1-2-2 alternating, very similar to LX, SN etc. Seat was ok, a bit on the narrow side (other airlines have wider seats for that kind of design).
E190 seats were nice, 2-2 (eco is 2-3) with good recline and comfortable
A320 was horrible. Seat did not recline, almost no padding with an empty middle seat. ryanair is more comfortable.
Crews were between indifferent and nice, never bad.
Food in general was unedible.
Lounge in LIS was ok, not stellar, a bit overcrowded in both cases.
3 flights more or less on time, 1 flight over 3 hours delayed and clearly caused by the airline (first crew timing, then a broken curtain and chaos in the needed reseating)
I used them because their price for the one ways was about half of what other airlines wanted, and the almost free stopover in LIS was a nice addition.

I would avoid the 340 and the 319/320 and use them again if their price is better.

IAN-UK

But I've definitely noticed a shift in attitude among Portuguese friends and colleagues towards their national carrier. Perhaps, in part, they are simply reflecting back my own changed mood, though not entirely.


there's a comment highlighted above from a TAP employee who felt a reasonable excuse for delay in customer service response was :

"we have so many complaints to deal with, we haven't been able to look at yours"

Sums up the TP management attitude rather well.

LondonBoundSW8

Really? Every major airline I have flown with have a continual presence, desks open for other flights you can check in to yours whenever. As imagine when you arrive at a connecting airport and your flight is cancelled, they don't throw your bags back at you, so it's not because they can't open early, it's because they don't want to. It's just TAP don't have a permanent check-in desk presence due to the lack of flights imho

tmac100

I beg to differ, and overseas it is "not just TAP". Your comment is NOT as I have experienced in airports like KUL, MEL, DOH, DXB (T1 AND T2), PEK, and even LVI, etcetera, etcetera...... on airlines like BA, UL, TK, QF etcetera ....

Yes not with BA at LHR, BUT certainly with AC at LHR.

Forget TAP- bashing. This happens worldwide in my experience. Frustrating when I have to wait 10+ hours (aka overnight) as happens in KUL and MEL for just 2 examples. The website "Sleeping in Airports" has similar stories .... 🙄

ctbarron

Palal

TP has only a single flight out of SFO, so they have their check-in desks open only for that flight. United has many flights out of SFO, so it has continual presence. That's how things work. LHR is a bit different - they have a combined *A facility, something that you don't have at SFO.

I've had success checking bags for a later TP flight when check-in was open for an earlier one at BCN, but this is not in any way guaranteed for any airline.

Shareholder

I think the point is that at outport airports where airlines have limited service, check-in standard opening time is 3 hours prior to departure. At home airports, home-based carriers have check-in open throughout airport operating hours, though some may restrict which flights they accept very early check-in bags.

AHC96

Has anyone experienced a price change when you try to book with the stopover? Even the website says "Book your flight with no additional airfare and also receive exclusive perks.".

Same flights, same dates, but one includes the stopover and on doesn't. Any solution?

raporot

its free only for long haul flight included...

AHC96

Clearly didn’t read the small print! Thanks

Odd that the option comes up even on European flights.