TAP reorganises operations for coming winter

TAP is to reorganize its operations from October by suspending the number of flights on some routes with more reduced occupancy levels as well as an integrated emergency plan designed to face increased fuel prices.

No destination served by TAP will be cancelled, merely flights a week on some routes with reduced occupancy levels during months of lower demand - November, January, February and March - will be scaled back. Christmas and New Year periods will not be included in these reductions no all domestic flights.

On long-haul flights, alterations will be distributed throughout the winter period and reflected in the suspension from Lisbon of a single flight a week to each of the cities of New York, Caracas, Recife and Natal, plus two flights a week to Rio de Janeiro, making a total of six flights a week.

From Porto, one flight a week will be suspended to Rio de Janeiro, one to Sao Paulo and another to New York, a total of three flights a week.

On these routes, operations will continue on two flights a week between Porto and Rio, Sao Paulo and New York and from Lisbon, 10 flights a week to Rio, 7 to New York, 4 to Caracas (including one from Funchal), 6 to Recife and 4 to Natal.

To Europe TAP will suspend a total of 42 flights a week between Lisbon and 16 cities in Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Holland, France, Italy and Belgium. Nine flights a week departing from Porto and destined for five cities in Spain, Switzerland, France and the United Kingdom will also be suspended.

Flights suspended on these medium-haul routes will be witnessed during specific periods, November 3 to 30, January 12 - February 15 2009 and March 2 to 28 2009. Periods of peak demand such as Christmas and New Year are not included in these periods.