Portuguese flag carrier TAP Air Portugal is set to launch a new route to the United States, with news shared this week that the Star Alliance carrier will connect Lisbon with Orlando from October 29. The route will be operated thrice weekly and will complement the airline’s existing service to the Sunshine State, where it serves Miami, Florida.
As reported by TNews, the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, LuÃs Rodrigues, made the announcement at the Better Tourism Lisbon Travel Market (BTL) this week as part of a wider presentation on the strategic plan. This new service will complement a number of new long-haul flights that are set to join the carrier’s network, including Curitiba, launching on July 2, and São LuÃs do Maranhão, taking off from October 26.
Can’t Hide From The US Market
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The airline’s CEO has reiterated that the airline has a new strategic approach for serving the North American market, and that the airline cannot hide from the United States. Other new services from Porto to Boston were commented on as a sign that there is ‘enormous market potential’ for services to the US.
From 29 October, TAP will launch its service between Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS) and Orlando International Airport (MCO), operating on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The route will be served by a mix of the airlines’ Airbus A330-200 or A330-900neo aircraft.
While the new route will initially be launched three times weekly, the CEO has noted that the airline can adjust the capacity as the market develops, which, depending on the success of the route, could one day see this route expand with increased frequencies.
Convenient Flight Times
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As published on the airline’s website, the new service will operate on Mondays with the Airbus A330-200, while Thursday and Saturday services will be operated with the A330-900neo. Operating as TP267, all flights push back from Lisbon at 12:50 pm, arriving in 
Orlando International Airport at 5:40 pm after a nine-hour and 50-minute flight.
The return flight, operating as TP268, will push back from Orlando at 9:10 pm for the seven-hour and 50-minute non-stop service back to the Portuguese capital, arriving in Lisbon the following morning at 10:00 am. Tickets are on sale now, with a return cost in the airlines’ Discount Fare type (hand luggage and personal item), setting travelers back €520 ($614).
A new intermediate cabin will be introduced by this summer, straddling business and economy class, and it will be debuted on the Airbus A330 and Airbus A321LR. No new seats are being designed; instead, offering the front few seats of economy class a ‘neighbor-free guarantee’, premium check-in and priority baggage, fast-track security, priority boarding, an enhanced amenity kit, and upgraded main meal options.
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The Portuguese airline launched the 5,000 NM route last month.
Other Exciting Route Developments
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With all the moves in the right direction, the airline’s CEO has celebrated several other new routes which show an improved strategic approach in the region, including Porto to Praia and Tel Avciv to Terceira.
Additionally, as already mentioned, two new services between Portugal and Brazil will take off from October. TAP already operates more flights between Europe and Brazil than any other airline, with 14 destinations on offer from Lisbon (Belém, Belo Horizonte–Confins, BrasÃlia, Florianópolis, Fortaleza, Maceió, Manaus, Natal, Porto, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro–Galeão, Salvador da Bahia, São Paulo–Guarulhos), and additional routes added from Porto (Rio de Janeiro–Galeão and São Paulo–Guarulhos).
The new route to Curitiba Afonso Pena International Airport (CWB) will operate thrice weekly on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from July 2, in a triangle routing onboard the Airbus A330-200. The city will be served non-stop from Lisbon, before traveling on to Rio de Janiero before traveling back to Lisbon.
The inaugural service to São LuÃs–Marechal Cunha Machado International Airport (SLZ) will operate from October 26 twice weekly with the A321LR, departing Lisbon on Mondays and Thursdays, also in a triangle routing, flying from Sao Luis onto Fortaleza before returning to Lisbon.