TAP changes route recovery plan
TAP announced that it would adjust the route recovery plan because of the recent critics by several national authorities, including the government.
Portuguese flag-carrier TAP said on Wednesday that it would adjust the route recovery plan it had announced, after the company was criticised by several national authorities, including the government.
The airline said it “is committed and will immediately collaborate with all economic agents, namely business associations and regional tourism entities”.
This announcement follows statements by Prime Minister António Costa, who said on Wednesday that TAP’s Executive Committee has the legal duty of “prudent management” and “has no credibility” for a route plan without prior information on Portugal’s border reopening strategy.
The prime minister stressed that “border management is the sovereign responsibility of the Portuguese state” and that the Covid-19 pandemic “has required and still requires for an indeterminate period of restrictions on movements at land, sea and air borders.
Costa went so far as to say that he was “obliged to remind the Executive Committee of TAP of the legal duties of prudent and responsible management of the company.
These duties, according to the prime minister, “is not compatible with the definition, disclosure and promotion of route plans whose viability depends on the sovereign will of the Portuguese Republic in the management of its borders.
TAP published its July flight plan for the next two months involving 27 flights in June and 247 on May 25, most of which are from Lisbon.
This announcement prompted several criticisms, mainly from mayors in the North of the country, but also from tourism authorities all over Portugal and from several political parties.
“TAP’s objective is to resume its operation and to serve its customers with the aim of ensuring its future sustainability and to continue projecting Portugal into the world,” the Board of Directors said in Wednesday’s announcement.
