In a statement, the Regional Government has declared its unilateral disgust at the unjustified price hikes that TAP will introduce during the Christmas and New Year period 2025-2025, says the Regional Secretariat for Tourism, Environment and Culture in a statement.
As part of the daily monitoring carried out on the fare offer applicable to connections to the Autonomous Region of Madeira, in particular concerning national connections to and from the mainland, the Regional Secretariat for Tourism, Environment and Culture (SRTAC), which oversees air transport, was surprised, on the 31st of October to see an increase of 30 euros on one-way fares applicable to the LIS-FNC-LIS and OPO-FNC-OPO routes for the period in question.
SRTAC recalls that for several years, TAP has presented an additional fare at times of the year with greater demand (Christmas, Easter, and Summer). This value translates into the highest booking class (RDB) of economy class (“Y” class) in an additional EUR 18 per journey compared to the “Y” fare values applicable in the so-called low season.
“Not satisfied with this additional penalty that had already been penalising all those who are forced to travel during high season periods, TAP understood, without any prior notice, to add additional fees. A commercial decision that deserves our greatest protest,” writes SRTAC in a letter sent to TAP’s CEO, LuĂs Rodrigues.
In the letter, SRTAC states that with this increase, only in fees, on a flight in fare Y (the highest economy class) it has a value of 296 euros per route (one-way tickets), the cost will be 419.62 euros (Funchal-Lisbon) and 418.82 euros (Lisbon-Funchal).
“These values, completely unjustified for travel within the national territory, are already above the maximum limit of the eligible cost under the Social Mobility Allowance (SSM) applicable to round-trip or one-way tickets to residents in the Autonomous Region of Madeira and displaced students, overloading not only the State coffers, through the SSM, but, also, the budget of the passengers themselves, who will thus have to bear the additional amounts to the amount covered by the SSM,” stresses the SRTAC.
It also adds that “this fare policy very clearly curbs the national tourist demand corresponding to passengers without the right to any subsidy, nullifying the promotional efforts that this Region carries out in this market, in particular regarding the New Year’s Eve festivities, one of the biggest tourist attractions in this Region.”
That said, I’ve looked at the TAP website for December. Some of the flights are as low as 34 euros, with the most expensive period being Christmas week and the run-up to New Year. So if you are thinking of flying to Lisbon, now is the time to book your flight, especially as there are some good deals regarding travelling business class.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
