TAP Air Portugal has announced plans for a new route between Lisbon and the Brazilian coastal city of Florianópolis.
The thrice-weekly service will launch on 3 September, operated by an A330-200 aircraft configured with 244 seats in economy and 25 in business class.
Flights depart Lisbon at 1010 (Tuesday), 1020 (Thursday) and 1050 (Saturday), arriving into Florianópolis at 1715, 1725 and 1755 respectively.
The return leg departs the Brazilian city at 1935 (Tuesday), 1940 (Thursday) and 2040 (Saturday), landing back into Lisbon at 0950, 0955 and 1055 respectively the following day.
TAP said that the flights had been timed “to allow smooth connections onto TAP’s UK and Ireland network, including London Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Dublin”.
Florianópolis is the capital and second largest city of the state of Santa Catarina, with a population of around half a million people spread across the mainland and islands including Santa Catarina Island.
The city will be TAP’s 12th Brazilian destination, joining routes to São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belém, Belo Horizonte, Brasília, Fortaleza, Natal, Maceió, Porto Alegre, Recife and Salvador.
In total the carrier will operate 95 weekly flights between Lisbon and Brazil this summer, with an average of more than 13 flights per day.
Commenting on the news Luís Rodrigues, TAP Air Portugal CEO, said:
“The launch of the flight to the state of Santa Catarina has been under consideration for some time.
“For TAP, it is very important that we have been able to bring forward the launch of this new route to a time when, due to the state of calamity in Rio Grande do Sul and the closure of Porto Alegre airport, the south of Brazil needs it so much.
“An increase in supply to our biggest market, which is Brazil, is something we always want. With this new route, TAP reinforces its commitment to continue investing to be the European airline of choice for customers travelling to/from Brazil.”
TAP recently opened a new lounge at Lisbon Airport for customers travelling on flights outside the Schengen area.
The 380 sqm TAP Premium Lounge Atlântico is open daily from 0500 to midnight and can accommodate up to 100 guests, with facilities including a hot and cold buffet area.
TAP Air Portugal opens new non-Schengen lounge at Lisbon airport
