Review: TAP Air Portugal Economy Class
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We flew from Lisbon to Ponta Delgada with a brand new Airbus A321neo. The flight was smooth and we also got complimentary onboard services. We would surely fly again with TAP Portugal. Read more from our review!
Covered in the Article
TAP Air Portugal
TAP Air Portugal is the flag carrier of Portugal. The airline was founded in 1945, and now it is a member of the biggest airline alliance in the world, Star Alliance. TAP Air Portugal (TP) also has codeshare agreements with 30 other airlines. TAP Air Portugal flies domestic routes inside Portugal and international flights across Europe, America and Africa. With about 90 planes in the fleet, TAP is a medium-sized European airline with a respected brand.
TAP operates only the Airbus fleet. Short-haul routes are operated with the Airbus A320 series, and longer flights with Airbus A330. TAP is a pure Airbus company.
TAP Express
TAP Air Portugal also has a regional airline called TAP Express. It operates only short and medium-haul routes. The airline flies with ATR turboprops and Embraer turbofans.
TAP Cabin Classes
There is a business class in TAP's aircraft. In this review, we concentrate only on the economy class.
Economy class tickets are divided into four price classes with different service levels. Economy class seats are divided into two areas: the normal and EconomyXtra seats.
EconomyXtra seats are coloured red, and they are located just behind the business class. These seats are more spacious; they have USB charging sockets and a reclining seat.
The standard economy class is behind the EconomyXtra. Seats there are coloured green and missing the extra features that EconomyXtra seats have. Onboard meals are usually more straightforward than in EconomyXtra.
You will have a traditional economy class seat with the cheapest tickets. With a more expensive ticket, an EconomyXtra seat may be yours. EconomyXtra seats are available only in Airbus A330 and Airbus A321neo planes. In other aircraft types, all economy seats are similar except for a few more spacious seats around the emergency exits.
Services in Economy Class
The cheapest economy class ticket does not include hold luggage. Only standard-sized carry-on luggage with a maximum weight of 8kg is allowed. A more expensive economy ticket includes 23 kg of luggage. The same rules apply to domestic and international flights.
TAP still serves meals and drinks even in the economy class. On short routes, the meal means a simple snack. The snack may be a hot or cold meal when the route gets longer. On EconomyXtra seats, the meal is better. The drink selection includes soft drinks, beer and wine.
Our Flight from Lisbon to Ponta Delgada
In February 2020, we flew from Lisbon to Ponta Delgada with TAP Air Portugal. We boarded a brand new Airbus A321neo. The cabin had business and economy classes. The economy class was divided into The red EconomyXtra area and the green area - economy class. We sat in the normal economy class while flying with discounted tickets.
The whole cabin was almost empty. Only about 30% of the seats were taken. The flight departed on time and arrived in Ponta Delgada on schedule. The flight was eventless.
Rating
Check-in and boarding
The ground crew handled the boarding process fast. People were shared in four queues, and those who had only a small bag were allowed to board first. The onboard crew was friendly and efficient.
Cabin
The cabin of the Airbus A321neo looked very clean and stylish. The nice use of red and green colours on the seats made the cabin look fresh. The room in the normal economy class is not big, but it was enough for us.
Onboard Services and Entertainment
We were offered soft drinks, tea and coffee and a small bag of chips. Also, complimentary alcohol was available. Passengers in EconomyXtra had better service. In the era of low-cost airlines, it is always nice to have complimentary onboard services.
Airbus A321neo didn't have onboard entertainment systems or Wi-Fi. Airbus A321LR and A330neo have them. TAP Portugal magazine was available.
Ticket Price
Our affordable ticket costs less than 50 euros per person. According to our investigation, the price level of TAP Air Portugal is competitive. Tickets also give value for the money.
Overall Rating
A short-haul flight in the economy class of TAP Air Portugal was a great experience. Our tickets were affordable, but we got into a brand-new plane. It was stylishly decorated, and the crew behaved professionally. Also, complimentary drinks and snacks were served. We were pleased with the price-quality ratio on these flights and plan to fly TAP again. In other words, we can recommend flying with this airline.
Common Questions
- Is TAP Air Portugal safe?
- We can't guarantee that any airline is safe, but TAP Air Portugal has good safety statistics and operates professionally.
- Is there onboard entertainment in the economy class of TAP Air Portugal?
- Widebody jets have onboard entertainment systems installed, as do Airbus A321LR aircraft.
- Does TAP Air Portugal have onboard Wi-Fi?
- Yes, Airbus A321LR and Airbus A330neo have been equipped with Wi-Fi service. It is a paid extra.
- Does TAP Air Portugal offer free alcohol in economy class?
- Yes, complimentary drinks are offered, including wine and beer.
- Does TAP Air Portugal serve complimentary meals?
- Complimentary meals or snacks are served. The type depends on the ticket class, aircraft type, flight duration and time of the day.
- Can I put luggage on hold on TAP Air Portugal's flight?
- The cheapest ticket type does not include hold luggage, but others do.
- What are the hubs of TAP Air Portugal?
- Lisbon and Porto are the hubs of TAP Portugal.
- Where to buy TAP Portugal flights?
- Compare flight tickets on Skycanner. It finds differently priced connections.
Bottom Line
TAP Air Portugal is a good choice if you fly between Europe and South America or around Southwest Europe. The company has many well-equipped new aircraft in the fleet. The new neo fleet (A321neo and A330neo) is especially recommended. They are comfortable, and the cabins look nice.
Have you flown with TAP Air Portugal? Comment below how you felt about it!
