TAP rhymes with CRAP: coincidence?

tap I was actually not going to write anything else apart from CRAP. CRAP, CRAP CRAP. But that would be childish.

TAP (subsidised or not) was never considered a great airline but it’s what we had at a time when European airlines lagged in quality when compared to their Far Eastern, Middle Eastern, Asiatic, Australian and North American counterparts. Let’s not dwell on the past and jump straight into now time.

As most airlines struggled to remain afloat whilst constantly innovating and renovating and reinventing TAP has actually made a concertive effort to be just BAD – I am fed up with being treated badly and then spending my time writing to mindless idiots that reply (rare) with standard letters signed by some director that has the unique gift of signing exactly the same everytime.

I was checking in to a Lisbon-Porto flight for a meeting with our main client who has offices in the north of Portugal. As I handed over my Executive ticket to the expressionless TAP representative, I was informed, to my surprise, of the fact that I was on standby in Economy. As I tried to rationalise around this, I was met with the “what’s on the screen overrides everything else… policy”. In the meantime Economy standby ticket holders were upgraded to Executive. “But I have a business ticket – confirmed”. “I’m sorry but that’s not what I have”

Whilst I come to terms with the fact that I am on standby in Economy with a Business ticket, a gentleman strolled up casually. He was confident – obviously not a seasoned TAP flyer. He explained that he had purchased his ticket over the phone using his visa card. “Can I have the receipt please…” I don’t need to explain the remainder of the episode – It just got worst.

So I’m Mad that they don’t switch the air on when you are on the tarmac, blare out classical music to distortion level, don’t perform maintenance (have they ever been stuck on a Lisbon-Newark flight where the seat doesn’t move an inch), never give out any information when the flights are delayed and best of all, last week when flights were cancelled owing to French Traffic Control strikes, they left their passengers (clients, brand advocates, etc.) to fend for themselves without accommodation or food. Their justification on the evening news was that as they were not responsible for the strikes in France they didn’t feel obliged (obliged!!) to compensate (compensate!!!) their clients (clients!?!).

Does anyone know where TAP clients can leave their suggestions. Better still, has anyone ever had a problem resolved? I’m open to being converted – just show me the light. In the meantime I’ll continue to search elsewhere.

You are never alone.