TAP’s new minority owner, the Gateway Consortium, continues to alter the airlines structure, pricing and routes to get the best from its asset and now has decided that 'TAP' is not the right name for the airline.
TAP is simply an acronym for ‘Transportes Aéreos Portugueses’ but this does not mean much to potential customers in overseas markets in which the business aims to develop, specifically the US.
The change in name to ‘TAP Air Portugal’ will be phased in over time with the first of the rebranded fleet starting service in mid-September, 2017. Americans, it is imagined, no longer will wonder what the company does.
"TAP is going through a period of strong growth in North America. At this stage, we feel the need for the brand to get stronger recognition while maintaining its strong association with Portugal," the company explained.
By September 14th, the corporate identity of TAP will have been changed on its website, with the painting of the new logo steadily covering the company's fleet, ticketing, ground services and labelling.
The name 'TAP Air Portugal' is nothing new, it was used from 1979 until this presentation of the name was swept away in 2005 in favour of 'TAP' when the airline joined the Star Alliance.
The company has not suggested to shareholders how much all this is going to cost but the repainting of the fleet will not be cheap as TAP currently operates twenty-one A319-100s, twenty A320-200s, four A321-200s, fifteen A330-200s, three A330-300s, and four A340-300s on scheduled passenger services to 93 destinations in 35 countries.
