The first TAP Air Portugal flight from Lisbon to Florianópolis International Airport landed today, September 03, at 17:16 p.m. Brasília time. This landing marked the beginning of the Portuguese airline's operations to Santa Catarina. TAP will operate flights to Florianópolis, in Santa Catarina, using the Airbus A330-200 aircraft carrying 269 passengers, 244 in Economy Class and 25 in Business Class. The flight will last approximately 11 hours.
      Flights between Lisbon and Florianópolis operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, departing from Lisbon between 10:10 and 10:50 and arriving in Florianópolis between 17:15 and 17:55. In the opposite direction, flights depart from the capital of Santa Catarina between 19:35 pm and 20:40 pm and arrive in the Portuguese capital between 9:50 am and 10:55 am the following day.
      Luís Rodrigues, President of TAP, was one of the passengers on the inaugural flight between Lisbon and the capital of the state of Santa Catarina, and stated that he was “very happy with this new destination. We are convinced that this flight will be very well received by Brazilian and European customers. Proof of this is the demand that has been registered since the first day we opened sales for this route. By the end of August, we had already registered more than 24 reservations”.
      “The inclusion of Florianópolis as a TAP destination comes as a response to the growing demand for flights between Portugal and the South of Brazil, reinforcing the Company’s commitment to continue investing to be the preferred European airline for Brazilians,” concluded the official.
      "We already had confirmation that TAP would create the first direct flight from Santa Catarina to Europe in June. Even so, I made a point of visiting the company's leaders in Portugal on an official mission from Santa Catarina to the country. This is the beginning of a closer relationship that goes far beyond flights for European tourism in Santa Catarina and for Santa Catarina residents in Europe. I am certain that it will be the starting point for raising the bar in our commercial relationship, first with the Portuguese, and then with the entire European Union," explains Governor Jorginho Mello.
      Ricardo Gesse, CEO of Zurich Airport Brasil, states that “the arrival of TAP is a milestone for Santa Catarina, as it establishes an unprecedented connection between the state and Europe, in addition to consolidating the internationalization of Florianópolis airport, which currently has seven airlines operating flights outside the country”.
      “The Jorginho Mello government worked tirelessly to secure the Florianópolis-Portugal route. With this new flight, Santa Catarina is now in the European spotlight. We are extremely happy with this partnership with TAP Airlines, which has shown itself to be very committed and enthusiastic about this new market from the beginning. We hope that this exchange of people will boost tourism and the economy of both parties,” said Catiane Seif, Deputy Secretary of Tourism of Santa Catarina.
      “This is a very important day for the connection of our state of Santa Catarina, both for the comfort of the people of Santa Catarina who will be able to visit Portugal directly, and for us to promote our state and attract Europeans, especially Portuguese, to visit Santa Catarina. This flight will certainly bring many other opportunities to the state,” says Evandro Neiva, Secretary of State for Tourism of Santa Catarina.
      Known as Magic Island and affectionately nicknamed Floripa, the capital of the state of Santa Catarina, is made up of a main island, Santa Catarina Island, and a small continental portion, as well as several small islands around it. The city stands out for its natural beauty, paradisiacal beaches, rich history and culture, and high quality of life, making it an increasingly popular tourist destination for travelers from all over the world.
      TAP Air Portugal is known for its commitment to excellence in customer service and its extensive network of international destinations, and the new route to Florianópolis reinforces its commitment to connecting continents and offering new opportunities for travelers and businesses.
      Later this year, the Company will resume flights between Lisbon and Manaus, capital of the Amazon State, with three weekly flights, with a stopover in Belém, taking place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The first flight is scheduled for November 4th.
      During the European summer, despite the temporary suspension of flights to Porto Alegre, TAP offers 95 weekly flights to Brazil, an average of 13 flights per day, departing from 13 Brazilian state capitals.
      TAP has been elected Europe's Leading Airline to South America for 10 consecutive years by the World Travel Awards, in recognition of its excellent service. In addition, in 2023, it received the MICE Awards for Best European Airline.
      TAP Air Portugal flies directly from Lisbon to Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belem, Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Fortaleza, Natal, Maceio, Porto Alegre, Recife, Salvador, Florianopolis and Manaus, as well as connecting Porto to Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. In total, there are 13 cities in Brazil (15 routes, from Lisbon and Porto) that TAP connects directly to Portugal.