On a Tap Air Portugal flight from London to Lisbon for a mystery shopper review that reveals an incredible feature of the airline’s A320

Earlier this year, we reported that Tap Air Portugal is one of the most hated airlines in the world, according to a survey of tweets mentioning airlines.

But what was the reality for me when I flew Tap – part of the Star Alliance network – on an A320 from London Gatwick to Lisbon, Portugal’s landmark capital and the airline’s hub?

Find out here in a Mystery Shopper review covering the flight experience from seat to service, with footage I filmed to capture the event for posterity…

Go in

Boarding at Gate #1 in the South Terminal was smooth and hassle-free, and the crew provided a warm and friendly welcome.

Experience on board from seat to service

Earlier this year we reported that Tap Air Portugal was one of the most hated airlines in the world, according to a study of tweets mentioning airlines

Ted boarded an A320 from London Gatwick to Lisbon, Portugal’s striking capital and the airline’s hub

The first noticeable aspect of the flight was the incredible amount of legroom. I’m 1.80m tall, but even someone over 1.80m will be happy with the range of motion it offers.

I also really liked the chair itself. It was designed by Recaro and featured a headrest with folding wings so you could sleep without moving your head.

The seat also had two pockets and two sets of power points and USB ports between the three berths.

The interior of the cabin was quite simple, with the color palette consisting mainly of white and gray. However, with the red accents on the headrests, the whole thing looked quietly dynamic and elegant.

Was it clean? Absolutely flawless.

Ted (above) writes: “The first striking aspect of the flight was the incredible amount of legroom.”

Regarding legroom (above), Ted says, “Even someone over 6 feet tall will be happy with the range of motion it offers.”

The seat had two pockets and two sets of power points and USB ports between the three berths

The image on the left shows one of the menu options on Ted’s flight. The photo on the right shows that the chair had two storage compartments

And the crew were smart too, with tailored uniforms fit for even the fanciest of cocktail bars.

The flight attendant came with a smile. I ordered a coffee with cream instead of milk, which felt a bit like a vending machine, but was fine for a mid-flight hot drink.

There was no message from the flight crew before take off, but the captain made up for it half way through with a very informative and friendly PA announcement.

Diploma

Ted was generally impressed and mentioned the positives, including an immaculate cabin and reasonable prices. Above: a stock photo of a Tap A320

Given the number of negative tweets we reported, I expected a poor experience, but I really enjoyed my flight with Tap Air Portugal.

The plane was immaculate, the seat was impressive in terms of economy and the crew was professional and friendly. And with prices from £97 from London to Lisbon, including checked baggage up to 23kg, the cost is reasonable.

Rating out of five: 4.5.

Visit www.flytap.com.

Coming soon: a full review of Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon.