TAP Air Portugal yesterday (10 June) started a five weekly direct route between Lisbon and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) operated with a brand new Airbus A330neo.
TAP, the launch carrier for the A330neo, has 71 new aircraft planned for delivery by 2025, adding to its existing 100-aircraft-strong fleet. This month, TAP also launches service from Chicago O’Hare and Washington-Dulles.
“We are proud that TAP Air Portugal has selected SFO for its growth plans on the United States West Coast,” said San Francisco International Airport director, Ivar C. Satero.
“We share TAP Air Portugal’s passion for making air travel an enjoyable experience, and travelers in the San Francisco Bay Area can look forward to an easy and economical new way to travel to Portugal and beyond.”
“TAP’s new SFO flights are the only nonstops from the Bay Area to Lisbon,” said David Neeleman, founder of JetBlue Airways and a major shareholder in TAP. “But these are also the only year-round nonstops from California to Portugal.
“TAP now serves some 75 destinations in Europe and Africa and fully 50 percent of our American passengers are flying us to places beyond Portugal, many making use of our popular Portugal Stopover program.”
The A330neo will feature the new Airspace by Airbus cabin. The economy cabin now comprises two categories: Economy and EconomyXtra.
The A330neo aircraft features state of the art personalized entertainment system and connectivity that allows for free messaging. TAP will be the first European airline to offer web-based messaging on long haul flights free for all passengers.
