TAP crew strike cancels 360 flights and affects thousands of Brazilians

The TAP Air Portugal crew strike, taking place this Thursday (8) and Friday (9), caused the cancellation of 360 flights, affecting thousands of Brazilians with tickets for the company, which is the airline with the highest number of connections between Brazil and Europe. The union of the category has already approved five more days of stoppage until the end of January.

Although TAP announced the cancellation of flights on November 21, offering the possibility of refunds or rescheduling for affected passengers, several travelers from Brazil report difficulties in obtaining benefits. Many also complain of problems in contacting the company.

This is the case of software engineer from Pernambuco Affonso Henrick, who would travel from Recife to Porto, with a stopover in Lisbon, departing on Thursday night (7). With the strike, the second leg of the trip, connecting the two Portuguese cities, did not happen.

He says he did not receive any prior notice from TAP about the strike or the cancellation of his connecting flight.

“I only found out the day before, when I went to check-in,” he says. “At the airport in Recife, the employee told me that the flight was canceled and that there was nothing to do. That I should see when I arrived in Lisbon.”

This Thursday morning (8), hours after disembarking, he was looking for alternatives at the company’s information desk at Lisbon airport, but he was already thinking about completing the journey to Porto by bus.

Although other passengers also report having been caught off guard by the strike, the climate was calm at the airport in the Portuguese capital, with little movement in the company’s service areas.

Despite the tranquility in the terminal, passengers used social networks and online forums to complain about problems getting rescheduling and refunds from the company.

In a note, TAP said that all passengers were informed about the strike, with different possibilities for reimbursement and rescheduling.

“The decision [de cancelar os voos] was communicated to customers on 21 November, who were then able to voluntarily reschedule their flights. Between the 23rd and 25th of November, TAP communicated to each customer the cancellation of flights, advising that they would receive a message with the new flight or that they could then request a refund. Between November 25th and 28th, customers received a new flight. All passengers who do not want the protection received can request the rescheduling of flights or request a refund until the date of the new trip”, details the company.

According to TAP, due to the number of canceled flights and the volume of expected rebookings, changes have to be made through the company’s call centre. “The change can be made once, without any cost and without changing tariffs”.

The company also says that, in Brazil, all services and customer service channels are working normally, including a team on standby at airports.

The strike was called by the National Civil Aviation Flight Personnel Union. The entity and TAP are in the process of revising the agreement within the scope of the company’s restructuring plan. According to a balance sheet presented by the entity, there was total adherence to the stoppage on the first day.

Given the size of the situation, the CES (Economic and Social Council) arbitration court determined the operation of minimum services during the strike.

In operations such as Brazil, it was established that there must be at least one outward and one return flight to Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo on the two days of strike. TAP flies to 11 Brazilian capitals.

According to the company, this Thursday (8), the operation followed as planned.

“Until 11:30 am, of the 148 flights scheduled for today, TAP has already operated the 78 scheduled. Of the 64 minimum service flights scheduled for today, TAP has already operated the 42 scheduled. Guinea-Bissau was cancelled, but due to a lack of passengers. For tomorrow, another one was cancelled, for Praia, and for the same reason “, says the company.

TAP says it “deeply regrets the situation, which harms customers, the company and the country” and remains available to negotiate with unions.

According to the consumer rights association Deco Proteste, passengers affected by the strikes have “rights to assistance provided by the airline, such as accommodation, food, drink or telephone calls or reimbursement of the reservation amount”.

“When there is a flight cancellation motivated by an extraordinary circumstance, the passenger is entitled to a refund or to schedule a new trip on a date that is convenient for them, without limitations determined by the carrier or additional costs”, completes the entity.