On Monday, TAP Air Portugal announced the retirement of their last previous generation Airbus A330 with the old cabin configuration. Having received 30 next generation aircraft in 2019, TAP now has one of the youngest long-haul fleets in the world.
In the airline industry a fleet renewal program is normally a multi-year process, so when an airline fundamentally transforms their fleet in a year, it is impressive. Just a year ago, the average age of TAP’s long-haul aircraft fleet was 15 years and now it is only 3.9 years, one of the youngest long-haul fleets in the world. In a press release Monday, TAP announced the retirement of their last A330-200, registration number CS-TOG, which was removed from service on November 29, 2019. With the delivery of 30 next generation aircraft this year alone, TAP now has a long-haul fleet that is more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly.
TAP’s long-haul passengers can now expect a consistent brand experience with new or refurbished ‘Airspace by Airbus’ cabins, cutting-edge inflight entertainment (IFE) and WiFi with free text messaging. One year ago, TAP’s long-haul fleet consisted of four Airbus A340s and 17 A330ceos while today the international fleet has 17 A330neos, four A321LRs, and seven A330ceos. The remaining A330ceos have been retrofitted with all new cabin interiors to match the rest of the new long-haul fleet.
Monday’s announcement is just the latest achievement in TAP’s plan for operational excellence in all aspects of their operations. The new aircraft will allow the airline to open new routes while becoming more efficient, profitable and competitive.
Source: TAP Air Portugal