TAP Airlines

[Hoser]

Does TAP Airlines ever have any seat sales and when? I am looking for flights out of Heathrow to Faro in the middle of January and they appear to be the only airline flying out of there.

[tbbr]

I went o one of the " cheap flight " sites as I needed to fly to Porto and neither Ryan air or easyjet flew on the days I needed.

TAP were lower than BA but certainly not in the same price levels as the Ryan etc.

If you want to use the main London airports you just have to pay the price.

[Bruce Wallis]

Quite frankly TAP dont seem to be interested in UK / Faro. Most of their flights are via Lisbon, and therefore take about 5 or 6 hours. It's very rare that they do seat sales, and are consistantly the least competative carrier on the route.

With BA possibly pulling out, you would think that they would see a gap in the market....but I wouldn't hold your breath.

I find it amazing, considering that they are Portugal's national carrier.

[bjay]

TAP known as Take Another Plane! Porto FC wont even use the Portugese national airline. Does that say something. You could end up anywhere with them. It took someone I know 12 hours to get from Faro to Dublin routed via Lisbon and London.

[bugsey]

Try any other airline besides TAP. We have used them as we fly into Heathrow and therefore it is easier to transfer to TAP. Expect delays in taking off, delays in Lisbon and then almost cancellations on your return.
This year we are flying to Frankfurt and then using Lufthansa.

[Bruce Wallis]

Wouldn't it be easier to fly into Gatwick, and pick up a budget flight from there? Booking on line would make it easy.
Just a thought

[Hoser]

Our flight originates in Canada and no airlines from here except charters fly into Gatwick and only on Saturday/Sundays. I have previously used the bus to transfer from Heathrow to Gatwick but only same day connecting flights to Faro are limited to Sundays otherwise I must spend a night in London.

Another problem is even if we find a cheap flight originating in the U.K., the cheapo airlines limit us to very little luggage and that can mean looking at us in the same clothes for two months. Might as well get a uniform.

There are many Canadians who love to winter in the Algarve but the expense and inconvenience to get there turns them off. We think Potugal (not the natives) prefer to stay a third world like country. There is so much to offer and share but no one cares. That's why we go somewhere else and spend our money especially with it now worth more than the U.S. currency. Next we may reach par with the euro. Still looking.

[bjay]

What about flying to Dublin and travelling on to Faro directly with AerLingus or Ryanair. Id go for AerLingus first! You dont need to change terminals as there is only the one. Maybe stop off in Dublin for a few days and see the sights but watch out for the rain.

[forester]

We are going to be in Carvoeiro for six weeks in Feb/March and it was not easy to find inexpensive fares from Canada to Portugal. However, I'm not sure that this is the fault of Portuguese authorities. I suspect (completely unsubstantiated, mind you) that the charter carriers flying from Canada give priority to travel companies that are putting together long- and short-stay vacation packages. If you haven't already booked your flight to London, you might want to try JMVacations to see if you could book an air-only arrangement (Toronto-Faro) with them.

In any event, we were able to book a seat sale on Air France (Toronto-CDG) and then connect with TAP (no seat sale) for flights from CDG to Lisboa and on to Faro. The total cost was substantially cheaper than anything else we found.

We will be in transit for about 15 hours (if everything goes according to plan!!) but, since we will be spending a week in Paris on the return leg, the arrangements fit our travel plans well. We're keeping our fingers crossed, though, after reading bugsey's comments.

[roy4eyes]

I have just checked flights Lisbon/Gatwick return next month.

Air fares TAP 48 euros, EasyJet 70 euros.

BUT taxes etc. TAP 110 euros, EasyJet 40 euros

Very strange considering TAP have a remote stand at Lisbon and EasyJet have an airbridge.

[Hoser]

Thanks for your help. If someone hears of any seat sales in the near future, put it on this forum.
I noticed in another similar topic someone wrote they get info quicker on this forum than from the airlines in question.
Roy4eyes you make an interesting point. In fact you can go further and you will find that TAP charges as much or more for the Lisbon to Faro flight than the London to Lisbon flight when booked seperately.

[Canada]

Hoser, we have always booked packeages with JMVacations. This year we booked a private villa in CVO and needing air only have been charged 2 one way tickets to Portugal by JM using an Air Transat charter (1700+ per person).Robbery! I wrote to the president of Air Transat and he said that they turn over all bookings to the tour companies. Have written to JM and have not heard from them - we will never use their services again in protest. There is no loyalty for repeat customers that book early.
Good luck finding alternate - the luggage weight is a problem on small European airlines. They also know how to charge big for overweight.

[Hoser]

Canada, that's some of the problems I have found this year. If you are looking for cheaper fares, try Air Canada (the people's airline). We booked Ottawa to Heathrow return for $1260.00 Can for two people. that's flying over in the middle of January and coming back at the beginning of April. Flights from TO were even cheaper. Their sale is supposed end any day soon.

The next step is getting from London to Faro and that's why I raised the question. The only feasible flight is using TAP from Heathrow for about $700.00Can return for two people. The only good thing here is staying in Heathrow and not having to switch to Gatwick. Must sit at airports both at Heathrow and Lisbon for the whole day. As AC has no association with TAP, we must physically pick up our luggage and then check in at the TAP counter. Great business to be in.

Also check BA. They had a low fare from Montreal to Faro. Only thing is you change from Heathrow to Gatwick both going and coming. The plus was the flight from Gatwick was direct to Faro. The only good connecting same day flights were on Sunday only. That's the bummer.

After trying to book flights, with all my experience, I am thinking of working for one of these airlines.

Interesting thing was when I called BA to ask about the Montreal to Faro flight that I can book on line and used in other years; their rep could not even find it on their system. They wanted to sell me a ticket to go Montreal-London-Oslo-Lisbon-Faro for three times the price.

To finish off, I emailed TAP and told them they are losing a hell of a lot of money by not making it simple for wealthy (ha-ha) Canadians to spend their winters in the Algarve. No reply yet and don't expect one.

Well I got that off my chest.

Good luck. Let us know what happens.

[roy4eyes]

We have had similar problems transitting back to Faro via London and found the cheapest way is to fly BA (Heathrow) or EasyJet (Gatwick) to Lisbon.
Use the air bus to Oriente station and get the train to Algarve - change at Tunes for the west.
Fares very good at 21.50 euros each way or 11 euros if over 65 and that is first class - travel time varies from 3 to 3.5 hours and booked on www.cp.pt with english version but only bookable 30 days in advance.
Hope this may help.

[tbbr]

The plane train option is one I am seriously considering as I will be making business trips to Porto.

EasyJet/Lisbon , Ryan Air? Porto for some reason best known to them fly on the same days so it is not possible to use a combination ( from Bristol ) that does not require at least 2 nights away.

However I can do it flying in/out of faro, train to or from Porto with my return flight to/from Porto.

The train journey to my destination is around 3 1/2 hours but thats much better than the drive to/from and experience of Stanstead or Gatwick.