TAP Portugal, a Portugal based airline, has announced an increase in its flights to the UK.
The airline is extending the Anglo-Portuguese connection by increasing its five- times a week service from Manchester Airport in UK to Lisbon Airport in Portugal to a daily service.
The newly expanded service commences from October 28, 2012, with the airline offering twin-class fares, which includes complimentary food and drink, complimentary advance seat choice, a 23kg baggage allowance, and the Executive and Victoria frequent flyer services.
With this extension, the total number of flights offered by the airline increases to 74 every week. The airline’s winter schedule for 2012 for British residents includes 46 flights every week from Lisbon to London; 14 flights from Porto to London; seven from Funchal to London; and seven from Lisbon to Manchester. The airline is currently also offering a service from London Heathrow airport to Madeira airport, Portugal.
The airline commenced its services on the Lisbon to Manchester route in June 2011, and is currently flying the sector with a load factor of 84%, as reported in July 2012. Since its inception, the airline has flown around 48,000 passengers on this route within one year of service.
The airline, which serves a total of 75 destinations in 35 countries, is also the main carrier between the UK and Spain. The airline is currently trying to increase its reach to more destinations in North and South America, and Africa.
The airline, however, in the first half of 2012, registered a loss of €112 million, suffering from industrial action in the sector, which had a direct impact of €21.6 million. Half yearly revenues, however, increased by 9.3% from the same period in 2011, to €1.084 billion.
