Brazil Flight Information!!

[Dotty]

In the old days (EARLY 1990S)one would arrive at the TAP Sao Paulo check in to be told that your bought ticket had been double booked and that the flight was full.This happened on at least 3 occasions,but I would insist on being put in a hotel and upgraded on the next flight and too be honest it was worth the hassle.Another day in Sao Paulo madness,a great hotel and ist class travel.They were my only 1st class travel with TAP and now they are much,much better and flights are very good and no more double bookings either!

[michaelbush]

Originally Posted by robh

Last time I flew with TAP I spent 8.5 hours in Lisbon waiting for my flight. It was 6 hours before they would even supply us with water (and this was very late at night and everything was closed in the airport)!

Perhaps was the same one as me- flight scheduled for around 4pm took off at 2.00am. I was in Lisbon since 8am. Tap eventually sent us to a hotel for a meal, with a rescheduled time of 9pm. By 11pm all had closed in the airport and Tap management tucked up in bed, and the poor assistant at the gates had to be persuaded to take some responsibility and get water for the passengers.

[FCZ]

Besides Emirates flights to Sao Paulo, Qatar Airways is said to announce soon direct flights to Sao Paulo. There is a rumor that Etihad Airways (Abu Dhabi based) may announce, but certainly not soon, direct flights to Rio de Janeiro. These companies have, to some extent, bought their own hotels and resorts to sell packages. Plenty of cash available...

[robh]

Originally Posted by michaelbush

Perhaps was the same one as me- flight scheduled for around 4pm took off at 2.00am. I was in Lisbon since 8am. Tap eventually sent us to a hotel for a meal, with a rescheduled time of 9pm. By 11pm all had closed in the airport and Tap management tucked up in bed, and the poor assistant at the gates had to be persuaded to take some responsibility and get water for the passengers.

That sounds like the same flight to me.

[Golfingworld]

TAP represent the traditional "National Airline" from the old school like Alitalia and Iberia, Air France etc etc..they have a fundamental problem which is they are heavily Unionised and locked into staff agreements that make them over priced, inefficient and uninterested in their primary function, service. Add to that the fact that Portugal invented the concept of "Third World Country" before the Third World had been discovered and you get an Airline which can be best described as a contemptuous heap of sxxx.
My last trip to Natal included a broken tv, a crew member who lectured me for trying to help her collect the food, refused boarding acces via the front door, as it was reserved for TAP Crew and Families travelling on freebie tickets and on the way home a man who managed to slice his finger off on the toilet door! TAP Crew reacted in force, so much so that they wrapped so much toilet roll round his hands that he looked like The Third Man! But to stop the blood dripping they bound his hands and arms upright on the curtain rail with some string and placed a Duty Free Platic bag over his hands....the fact there was no First Aid kit onboard seemed to escape them. Anyway, as we landed in Lisbon, they had the good sense to untie him, just in case there was an emergency evacuation and let him off first. If I hadn't already had my phone and camera nicked in Natal, I'd have videod the fiasco and sent it to IATA. TAP is a scandal and if the Brazilian property and tourist boom depends on them, forget it...go somewhere by car or train!

[robh]

Originally Posted by Golfingworld

TAP represent the traditional "National Airline" from the old school like Alitalia and Iberia, Air France etc etc..they have a fundamental problem which is they are heavily Unionised and locked into staff agreements that make them over priced, inefficient and uninterested in their primary function, service. Add to that the fact that Portugal invented the concept of "Third World Country" before the Third World had been discovered and you get an Airline which can be best described as a contemptuous heap of sxxx.
My last trip to Natal included a broken tv, a crew member who lectured me for trying to help her collect the food, refused boarding acces via the front door, as it was reserved for TAP Crew and Families travelling on freebie tickets and on the way home a man who managed to slice his finger off on the toilet door! TAP Crew reacted in force, so much so that they wrapped so much toilet roll round his hands that he looked like The Third Man! But to stop the blood dripping they bound his hands and arms upright on the curtain rail with some string and placed a Duty Free Platic bag over his hands....the fact there was no First Aid kit onboard seemed to escape them. Anyway, as we landed in Lisbon, they had the good sense to untie him, just in case there was an emergency evacuation and let him off first. If I hadn't already had my phone and camera nicked in Natal, I'd have videod the fiasco and sent it to IATA. TAP is a scandal and if the Brazilian property and tourist boom depends on them, forget it...go somewhere by car or train!

What happened to the finger??

[Golfingworld]

They charged him excess as it took up another seat!

[FCZ]

See, and you guys say that Portugueses and the butt-end jokes of Brazilians. That's so unfair, we don't tell jokes, it is all true!

BTW, I just get an email regarding a off-plan near Natal, at the end we can read, and I quote, "complication date 2009"
Some negativism in this forum is picking up even the agents...
Here is the site:
Brazilian property for sale, 1, 2, 3 Bedroom Developments in Natal, Brazil

[Golfingworld]

I would say it is almost certain that Thomson are out of Natal for at least a year. You cannot find any flights or Holidays into Natal on any search engine and Travel Republic who often did good deals do not show Natal anymore! Thomson show Bahia only in 2009, that's it......so the pleasure of that beaten up 20 year old 767 is over!

[robh]

Originally Posted by Golfingworld

I would say it is almost certain that Thomson are out of Natal for at least a year. You cannot find any flights or Holidays into Natal on any search engine and Travel Republic who often did good deals do not show Natal anymore! Thomson show Bahia only in 2009, that's it......so the pleasure of that beaten up 20 year old 767 is over!

Boring..... Once more: I had it confirmed at the head office, thomson are intending to fly there in November, just because it isn't on the web or a call centre operator doesn't know about it doesn't mean it isn't happening.