Amy Lancelotte
Written By Amy Lancelotte
Last Updated:

Let’s say you’re heading to the airport and ask yourself, “I wonder if there are any TAP Air Portugal flights cancelled today?” Then, it turns out your flight is on that list. What do you do?

We’ll cover the steps to take, how often TAP travel disruptions have occurred recently, the common reasons for TAP flight cancellations, and which airports to avoid (if possible). Plus, we’ll publish a TAP cancelled flight list, as well as delays, at the end of the page.

First, we need to look at the real numbers for TAP’s reliability so that you can have a baseline of what to expect. Here they are from OAG:

Period

Total TAP Air Portugal Flights

TAP Air Portugal Cancelled Flights

TAP Air Portugal Delayed Flights

2022 (January 1 to December 31)

109,770

2,316 (2.11%)

42,810 (39%)

2023 (January 1 to September 30)

91,093

765 (0.84%)

38,460 (42.22%)

As you may notice from the above table, there’s good news and bad news. On a positive note, TAP cancelled flights are way down in 2023 compared to 2022. Portuguese airports and airlines had problems bouncing back after COVID-19, resulting in many cancelled flights due to staffing shortages. Luckily, it seems like things are going much better now.

Although TAP flight delays are on the rise, the number is fairly consistent, and it’s not a good number. In fact, TAP Air Portugal had the worst on-time percentage of any European airline in both 2022 and 2023, according to our research.

Are TAP Flights Cancelled Often? What About Delays?

As mentioned, TAP flight delays are all too common these days. Using a weighted average to account for the 3 months of missing data, we can say that the chance of your TAP Air Portugal flight being delayed is 40.38%. That translates to TAP experiencing a delay on 2 out of every 5 flights.

If we also use a weighted average for TAP canceled flights, the likelihood of this happening is 1.57%. That means that roughly 3 out of every 200 TAP flights get cancelled.

Were you on one of the many delayed TAP flights this year? If your delay was 3 hours or more, contact us ASAP to get the compensation you deserve.Check Your Flight

TAP Flight Cancellations - The Next Steps

So, your route is on the dreaded TAP cancelled flights list; what do you do? The most important step is to try to make alternate arrangements as soon as you find out. Grab the next flight from TAP, or if your airport is affected, try another one nearby.

If TAP Air Portugal cancels flights without sufficient notice, know that you may be entitled to file a compensation claim. You can do this on your own by heading to the TAP complaints page, or if you prefer to have an expert on your side, contact us to start a claim. Compensation is mandated by Regulation EU 261, and even a small payout can help you deal with the inconvenience of TAP cancelled flights today.

Flight Cancellations - The Typical Causes

Understanding the root causes of flight cancellations can go a long way in helping you make alternate plans. If you hear about any of these situations with TAP, cancelled flights could be on the horizon:

  • Insufficient TAP staff, including pilots and cabin crews.
  • Bad weather at the departure or arrival airport (or even along the route).
  • Strikes by TAP Air Portugal staff or airport support services, like baggage handlers and mechanics.
  • Plane issues. This can either be a problem with insufficient aircraft to serve demand or planes that can’t be used due to mechanical breakdowns or poor maintenance.

Did one of these reasons cause your TAP flight to get cancelled? If so, compensation is often available, so use our free eligibility checker today!Check Your Flight

TAP Airports with the Most Disruptions

As one of the flag carrier airlines of Portugal, many of TAP’s flights take off from Lisbon and Porto. As a result, these two airports have the highest chances of disruption, whether it’s delays or cancellations.

As mentioned, Portuguese airports had trouble dealing with the increased flight demand in 2022 after a slow 2021. In the first half of 2022, traffic rose 344%. This accounts for some of the cancelled TAP flights in 2022.

Additionally, as the capital, Lisbon is where most protests and strikes are likely to start. A 3-day strike in 2022 resulted in TAP cancelling 60 flights. And at the end of 2022, up to 400 flights from Lisbon, Porto, and other popular airports were cancelled. This was due to an excessive number of pilots and cabin crew entitled to parental leave, set to be taken in November and December.

Steps for Minimizing TAP Cancelled Flights

No one wants to be on the receiving end of a cancelled flight. Here are a few things you can try to increase the odds of your trip happening as expected:

  • Opt for smaller airports, if possible. Lisbon and Porto get very busy and are, therefore, subject to delays and cancellations, as we discussed.
  • Fly direct. A missed connection can quickly result in a disappointing trip.
  • Travel in the morning. As the day goes on, planes can get delayed for various reasons. If yours is the first flight of the day, you minimize your chances of a delay or cancellation.
  • Information is key. Before you head to the airport, check if any of the TAP flights today are cancelled and if yours is on the list. You can also stay up-to-date on the flight’s status using either the departure airport or TAP websites. The TAP cancelled flight list below will also provide information after the fact. Keep your TAP flight number handy.

Cancelled and Delayed List by TAP Flight Numbers

Select TAP Air Portugal flight that was delayed or cancelled to learn about your passenger rights and what to do when such disruption occurs. Our team at AirAdvisor is happy to help with any compensation or refund claims against TAP Air Portugal on No-Win, No-Fee basis. We have been helping passengers since 2017.

If you’ve had a delayed, overbooked, or canceled flight in the past 3 years, you might be entitled to compensation from TAP Air Portugal. Find out what you’re owed with our Eligibility Checker.

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