You flew TAP Air Portugal and your flight was delayed or cancelled? Keep in mind that in some cases you can be entitled to compensation of up to €600.
EU Regulation 261/2004: passenger rights when a TAP Air Portugal flight is delayed or cancelled
You flew, and your flight was delayed by more than 3 hours, cancelled, or you were denied boarding? You may be entitled to financial compensation. EU Regulation 261/2004 protects passenger rights in exactly these cases.
Under EU 261/2004, passengers are entitled to financial compensation in three situations: cancelled flights, delayed flights, a missed connection or denied boarding (overbooking).
Which TAP Air Portugal flights qualify for compensation?
Delayed TAP Air Portugal flight
For delays, the delay has to be down to TAP Portugal. If the flight is delayed because of, say, an airport-staff strike or other extraordinary circumstances, the passenger isn’t entitled to anything. The delay also has to reach at least 3 hours to meet the EU Regulation conditions. The delay is measured at the arrival into the destination, so the departure delay doesn’t matter.
Cancelled TAP Air Portugal flight
To claim compensation for a cancellation, the airline has to have informed you of the cancellation less than 14 days in advance. The fault also has to be on TAP Air Portugal’s side — the cancellation can’t be down to an extraordinary circumstance (e.g. bad weather).
Denied boarding on TAP Air Portugal
Overbooking happens when airline staff tell you they won’t let you on the plane because of full capacity. To claim financial compensation, you can’t have voluntarily given up your seat.
Extraordinary circumstances that rule out compensation
Under EU 261/2004, there’s no compensation for a cancelled or delayed flight when extraordinary circumstances were at play — situations the airline couldn’t have controlled or prevented. Examples:
- Bad weather that makes safe flight impossible
- Political instability
- Strikes that affect flight operations
- Radar or other equipment failures
- Terrorist attacks or other acts of violence
How much compensation am I entitled to?
| Flight distance | Compensation per person |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 |
| 1,500–3,500 km | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km | €600 |
On top of that, under EU rules TAP Air Portugal can apply a 50 % reduction if a flight over 3,500 km is delayed by 3 to 4 hours — €300 instead of €600.
How do I claim compensation for a delayed or cancelled TAP Air Portugal flight?
You have two options. You can contact TAP Air Portugal through the contact form on their website. The process can drag on, get complicated, and the airline may refuse to pay you even when you’re entitled.
Or you can ask us. Contact Refundio — we’ll help you claim compensation for free. Our specialists handle the whole process of assessing your flight and recovering your existing claim from the airline. If needed, we’ll take the dispute to court.
A few facts about TAP Air Portugal
TAP Air Portugal is the oldest still-operating airline in Portugal. The company is based at Lisbon’s Portela airport and flies to more than 100 destinations across 79 countries. TAP Air Portugal was the first airline in the world to run scheduled flights to Brazil.