TAP Air Portugal celebrated its 80th anniversary on Friday 14th March. The carrier reflected on the milestones with multiple initiatives to mark the day.
About Air Portugal
The Portuguese airline was founded on March 14, 1945, by Humberto Delgado. The airline, then called Transportes Aéreos Portugueses, conducted its first commercial flight on September 19, 1946, between Lisbon and Madrid in a DC-3 Dakota aircraft.
Eighty years later, TAP is recognised as one of the world’s top exporters. In 2024, it transported more than 16 million passengers. This summer, Air Portugal will fly to 84 cities worldwide, operating more than 1250 flights per week. The airline
Luís Rodrigues, President of the airline, said:
“This journey was made with the tireless dedication of thousands of workers and the trust of our customers and partners. We faced challenges, overcame adversity and, with resilience, reinvented ourselves to continue to fly higher.”
So, just how did the airline celebrate its 80th birthday?
New advertising film premiere on BTL
TAP Air Portugal premiered a brand new advertising film at Bolsda de Turismo de Lisboa (BTL). BTL is the biggest and most important tourism fair in Portugal. In this film, TAP present their planes as national territory, transporting Portuguese culture and values to each destination. The carrier views itself as a symbol of national identity, where each employee has the mission of accommodating every passenger with Portuguese warmth and authenticity.
Voar É Preciso
The airline released a book titled Voar É Preciso (English: Flying Is Necessary) which showcased over 700 images. The images, some unseen before, assembled a walkthrough of TAP’s eight-decade history.
Air Portugal’s aircraft take the role of the protagonists in the book, telling the life of the airline through images and facts. This story tells how the aircraft – through their arrival, strategic importance, the cities they flew to, and routes they inaugurated – have helped TAP evolve throughout the years.
Published in Portuguese and English, it contains dozens of graphs, route maps, plane profiles. The book also lists TAP’s complete fleet, with dates of the first flights, delivery to the Company, and first and last regular flight.
The book was authored by Rita Tamagnini, Director of Corporate Communications & Public Affairs at Air Portgual, and Gianfranco Beting, a Brazilian photographer, businessman, and executive in sector.
New chefs, new talent, and new in-flight dining
In addition to the celebration, TAP announced the new edition of the Local Stars program. In this program, six talents of Portuguese gastronomy will create individual menus, which TAP will serve in Business Class on long-haul flights from Lisbon.
Chef Ana Moura will sign the first proposal. Chefs Marco Almeida, Lídia Brás, Ricardo Luz, Rita Magro, and António Galapito are also part of the cast of the new season of Local Stars.
Status For Life
Sofia Lufinha, TAP’s Chief Customer Officer, presented Status For Life at BTL. She designed Status For Life as a reward system to cherish, thank, and reward its customers. TAP will award Gold and Navigator status For Life to Customers who have accumulated more than two or three million miles.
With Status For Life, TAP will now count the status miles a client flies from the moment they register with Miles&Go and display them on a counter in the reserved area of FlyTAP.com. All customers will be able to track their progress in real time.
Luís Rodrigues, President of the airline, said:
“We look to the future with ambition and determination, investing in fleet modernisation, sustainability and continuous improvement of our customers’ experience. TAP will continue to be a bridge between continents, promoting Portugal’s culture and economy and remaining a symbol of our country in the world.”
Have you ever flown with Air Portugal? Let us know in the comments!
