TAP Portugal is launching a new economy class booking option in the hope of bridging the gap between economy and business class.
TAP said in a statement that the airline will introduce the new cabin design this summer on long-haul flights operated by its A330 and A321LR aircraft. The cabin will feature 12 “next-door seats” (think: middle seats) between business and economy.
Carlos Antunes, TAP Americas director, described the move as “innovating our service to meet our guests’ needs for a premium travel experience in every cabin.”
Economy Class passengers who book a reserved row of seats also have the opportunity to choose from two premium hot meals, can pre-select their meals up to 24 hours in advance, and are provided with amenity kits, premium pillows and “enhanced” headphones. These passengers will also enjoy premium check-in, priority baggage check, expedited security screening and priority boarding.
The new ticket options will offer flexible rebooking and refund conditions, as well as the opportunity to earn bonus miles in TAP’s Miles&Go program. The program is tied to Star Alliance and several hotel partners, including Marriott Bonvoy and IHG Hotels & Resorts.
This new seat option is designed to bridge the gap between Business Class (which includes lie-flat seats on the airline’s A330 and A321LR fleet and meals served on Portuguese porcelain) and Economy Class. However, it won’t offer exciting new seats.
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where are they flying
Headquartered in Lisbon, TAP operates multiple flights between Europe and the United States to 10 airports in North America, including Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Miami International Airport (MIA), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Dulles International Airport (IAD).
TAP also opened its first U.S. airport lounge in Miami earlier this year in partnership with Star Alliance member Avianca.
TAP said all U.S. routes are served by the airline’s A330 and A321LR aircraft, so it shouldn’t be difficult to find premium cabin options once those aircraft enter service.
bottom line
This new cabin option strikes a balance between a premium business class experience and a simpler economy class experience, but still features an enclosed seat design. While the price of premium seats is unknown, the opportunity to earn more miles per flight may ultimately make the extra cost worth it.
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