…yet. TAP has to improve some aspects of this cabin to reach the same level in service and comfort of an average European short haul business class. Small details make huge diffrences in comfort and service for todays stressed and business travellers. Fist time i fly with them and i hope their long haul is better.
Check in and boarding
Flight time today is estimated 3:45 and we departed with 50 delay this time too…
The check in procedure is quick and easy. At check in they have dedicated counter for business at the end of the terminal.
No fast lane was availed for security check.
At the gate a dedicated lane for boarding but once passed that we stood in the finger for about 10 min waiting to board.
As I’m writing the cabin crew is preparing for the meal in a very loud way. The cabin staff has not received us in a very special way. Nothing offered before take off also if we had plenty of time due to the dealy. The chatted among themselves instead also if a lady was coughing the whole time and maybe needed a glass of water…
Cabin
The cabin is the real challenge. Configuration is 2-2 with a empty seat in the middle.
Same cartoon of Mr. Bean. And this time 6 small children on the whole aircraft.
Toilets: wow! The toilet lid was closed. I opened it and to my surprise it had still paper on the seat and the toilet was full of water up to the edge…water had leaked out during take off and was now making its way into the cabin and has wet all the floor in the galley. The flight crew didn’t to realise until I told them that they were standing in water! Not hygienic not good. Toilet water in the galley when preparing the meal…..
Seat
I had at first row 4 D. The seats are slightly larger than economy but very old and it was also broken so I was sitting not straight up.
I changed quickly before take off to row 1C and finally I have some more legroom!
The space between the seats are the same as in economy. So if you intend to get work done with a laptop be sure to book the first rows and not behind. Very tight, cramped space and old, broken seats.
No power plug nor headphone plugs.
Service
I just got hit in the head by accident by one steward when he was putting on his jacket. He did not even turn around and ask for apology. Also if the hit was strong.
After two hours flight still no cabin service yet. We are a total of 6 people in then cabin. I asked kindly if there was going to be any service onboard and they replied to my great surprise :” yes, at lunch time”. So I fly around the world and this is the first time a flight crew is keeping track of when it is time to eat? I’m starving. Would have been nice with something to nibble on or to drink on the two first hours of a nearly 4 hrs flight…
I ask for a coffee hoping to get som biscuits or chocolate as i was starving…..nothing there either. Coffee not good but better than British airways coffee 😉 which has no taste at all.
So at 2 and 10 min (of a 3:45min flight) into the flight a flight crew came to to take the choice of the main course.
Food
The cabin crew is still during this time having meetings in the galley. Loud, not good for us six trying to get sleep or work done. Really noisy staff.
Menu seams ok and a choice of wines and 1 sparkling wine.
I told them that i did not want the appetizer due to my allergy. Of course it came anyway….
The food was ok. Food was simple and I added salt which was available upon request.
Desert was good. Not to sweet. Good ending for a meal.
The sparkling wine was not of my best and I believe Portugal does not have a great high end product when it come to sparkling wine…
Amenities
None.
Plus:
-Lounge access ?? So get some food there before boarding.
Minus
-Old seats, broken.
-No service on flight after take off. Eat something before boarding!
-Toilet broken and leaking into galley. (But sh*t happens)
-Delayed flight (but sh*t happens again)
-Seat are not for human beings! Not a business people friendly cabin. Difficult to work on a laptop if not impossible.
-Book first row only if you want to work with a laptop.
-Lack of inflight entertainment. A movie in a 4 hours flight would have made it faster.
-A flower, some amenities with the vibrant TAP color in the toilets would have been nice
-Staff completely doing their our business. No attention to the clients onboard.
Overall vote: 5 out of 10.
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