TAP Portugal has announced significant changes taking place throughout the next two years.

Among the investments, which have a focus on improving both airline efficiency and passenger comfort, will be the addition of 53 new aircrafts, €60 million to be spent on cabin interiors, €2 million for a new digital reservations platform and the increase and renovation of fleet.

“TAP Express” will be the newly branded product launched by TAP to replace Portugália.

Under this new branding, TAP will take delivery of eight ATR72 and nine Embraer 190.

The new TAP Express fleet will enable an increase in seat capacity of 47 per cent from all Portugália and contribute to significant savings in fuel consumption benefitting the environment.

The ATR 72 aircraft are currently the most efficient and noiseless ones in the market, while the Embraer 190, whose cabin displays comfortable seats (in a configuration of two rows and two seats), are often considered as the most comfortable aircraft in its segment. 

TAP has additionally announced the creation of a Porto-Lisbon shuttle, connecting both destinations with flights every hour.

With ticket prices starting from just €39, dedicated check-in desks and separate boarding desks, the shuttle will add up to 16 daily roundtrips, providing customers with even easier access to the TAP network and better connectivity to the Lisbon hub. 

TAP will also add two new A330-200 aircrafts to its long haul fleet by June 2016, to increase connections to North America.

This will take TAP’s long haul fleet to 20 aircrafts.

In the executive class, the cabin will feature 20 ‘lie flat’ seats from Stelia Solstys and new ‘slimline’ Zim EC01 in economy.

Passengers will also benefit from state of the art audio and visual entertainment systems on Panasonic EX-3 models.

The airline’s intentions have been clearly defined by Fernando Pinto, TAP chief executive, who commented: “TAP is making history these days, progressing step by step to become more competitive and efficient, a company able to meet its customers’ needs and expectations and strongly committed to delivering high quality services to Portugal and all the markets served.”