TAP Portugal

We have travelled to Funchal with TAP for the past 12 years and it has been an excellent experience. Their service when we usually travel in the winter is excellent - a good choice of flights and highly competitive prices for a scheduled service. There is no scramble for seats and the whole process from booking in to boarding is well organised particularly for someone like myself who is disabled. The in-flight service is exactly right for what is a short flight of under four hours.

MIA-LIS: old-ish A330. Video barely worked and audio was broken. Food quality was poor and to our surprise it was even worse on the return leg (LIS-MIA) where we were served an aluminium foil container with parboiled rice and a few cubes of chicken a barely-edible fish spread and a totally unpalatable desert. LIS- MIA: newer A330. Better entertainment system except that audio was broken (again) and cheap earphones just didn't work. Cabin service was minimal. Meal was quickly cleared and crew disappeared for the rest of the 10 hour flight only to re-emerge to serve a snack. If you were thirsty you could go to the back where a flight attendant with an attitude poured you half a cup of water.

Newark to Lisbon in business class then on to Funchal in coach plus. Returned from Lisbon to Miami. Service and food quality on outbound portion from Newark was much better than on return to Miami. Quality and service seems to be luck of the draw and inconsistent. I booked the flights 8 ght months in advance and originally booked Miami to Lisbon on the outbound portion. They cancelled the outbound flight from Miami but did not notify me. I found out 5 days before departure by calling the airline to reconfirm everything. Fortunately I was able to rebook out of Newark for the same day of departure although this entailed an 8 hour layover in Lisbon for the continuing flight on to Funchal. The only other glaring negative was the food service on the return portion from Lisbon. The food was really poor. "Priority" luggage came off the airplane last in Miami. I would fly TAP again only if my destination was in Portugal. Otherwise it's at the bottom of the barrel for European carriers in my opinion.

10/12/12 Lisbon-Rio De Janeiro Business Class. Big disappointment. Flight delayed for over 1 hr but this is standard with TAP. Check-in agent didn't bother to explain why just said that they changed departure time for today. Lounge in Lisbon was crowded food was gone as well. Boarding chaotic with many ground staff walking around the cabin with boxes paperwork chatting with cabin crew ignoring passengers no help with baggage coats etc. Food was ok edible if you were not missed while giving trays. Despite having wine list stewardess poured the one she had open on a drink cart! Some dishes were served still with foil wraps on. I was asked to pass every single item of china cutlery and food to passenger seating next to me felt like me being cabin crew. Everything looked rushed without any attention to detail. Cabin crew were not interested in any kind of conversation or smile. Seat was ok but not fully reclined which is ok on day flights. IFE very old with no AVOD only 6 movies (you can not even stop them) and a map. Generally not worth the money. TAP on European flights is better than most of the airlines on long haul way below!

Brussels-Lisbon-Miami-Lisbon-Brussels. Outbound trip ok - flights on time we made the connecting flight and although the snacks and food were nothing special they were still ok. Cabin crew could have been friendlier. Baggage was on time and I was a happy traveller. The long haul flight was with an older plane but it still had the small screens for every seat and they provided some entertainment. Flights back were a different story. Flight from Miami to Lisbon departed almost 2 hours later and the crew assured us they would do everything to get us to the connecting flight which was supposed to leave an hour after the first one should have landed. We went to the services desk got our food vouchers and were forced to wait another 6 hours for the next flight. Lisbon airport is a fairly uncomfortable airport to wait around at connecting flight was of course late and they switched gates so after we finally arrived I was exhausted. Crew on our way back was more friendly though. I would use them again.

Took an outbound Long haul flight from São Paulo to Lisbon. I learnt while checking in that the airport does not have a Lounge or any type of restaurant in the Boarding area meaning that all services are being delivered in the overcrowded Public area. Only 3 small Food areas which were packed so no seats available all power connections for laptops were occupied waited 30 minutes to get my food and had to eat it standing. The service on board (economy) is poor a scarce meal is served during the first 2 hours and then for 6 hours staff (not friendly) get to rest and only show up 1 hour before landing to serve a snack. The same during day time on the Flight LIS-SP.

Budapest-Lisbon and back both on A320. Though my first flight was 2 hours late the crew and service was nice two rounds of drinks served. The seats were comfortable. The flight back left Portugal on time the food was exactly the same as on my previous one.

Flew from Copenhagen to Faro via Lisbon. We were seated in the first row and both felt very uncomfortable in the cramped space. After and hour we were served a hot meal. No drinks offered before or after take off. Had to ask for more during dinner. Other seats in business class occupied by deadheaded crew. From LIS to Faro we were offered a glass of juice or water. Nothing else.

Lisbon to Heathrow in Sep 2012 with onward flight to Glasgow. First I was bumped off my booked flight with inadequate explanation. Made to wait for an hour despite turning up on time to have cancellation of seat confirmed and booked on a later flight. Was reassured I would make my re-arranged connection. However TAP announced a delay to the second flight Lisbon departure making it very tight to make the next BA connection. Pointed this out to them but treated in a very off-hand fashion and told there would be no problem. This second flight was further delayed taking off and after landing at Heathrow took 30 to 40 mins bringing up the steps. I told flight staff but complete disinterest. They also lost my luggage for both this and the outward flight to Lisbon for 3 days. Missed connection to Glasgow and therefore the last evening flight to Glasgow. Went immediately searching for TAP staff but they had all left. Had to book a hotel at my own expense overnight and sort out rebooking BA flight in the morning to Glasgow. TAP customer care is absolutely dreadful.

I have travelled AGP-LIS-FNC 5 times in the last 3 years and we have yet to enjoy a satisfactory flight. The flights are never on time so you miss your connection and you lose your baggage. The TAP information desk at Lisbon is under manned and twice I have queued 90 mins to get assistance the catering is a joke last September we received a biscuit and a bottle of water for lunch. This is the worst airline I have ever flown on but unfortunately I have no alternative because TAP are the only airline that fly the route.