TAP told Lusa today that, to date, it has spent less than in 2018 and 2019 on aircraft rentals with all services included, contradicting accusations by the pilots' union.

"From the beginning of the year to the current date, TAP is spending on ACMI [all-inclusive aircraft leasing - Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance - aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance] only 45% of what it spent in 2018 and 70% of what it spent in 2019 in the same period," a TAP source told Lusa.

On Wednesday, the Civil Aviation Pilots' Union (SPAC) accused TAP management of "wasting" summer revenue with "millions of errors" throughout the year, such as outsourcing services. Among the aspects pointed out by SPAC, is the outsourcing of services to various airlines, "some based in tax havens", which, according to the union, "almost tripled" in 2022, after having dismissed aircraft and pilots.

In a message sent today to maintenance workers, to which Lusa had access, the general manager of Maintenance & Engineering [ME] of TAP, Mário Lobato Faria, justified the contracting of aircraft inspection outside the company with "lack of capacity", as happened in 2016 and 2017. "This lack of capacity is mainly related to the constraints imposed by the airport, with the internalization of A330 inspections, previously done in ME Brasil [a division that has since been closed] and with increased limitations in the management of slots in our hangars," the message reads,

The limitations are due to the new Airbus A330 NEO, he says, with the 'slots' in the hangar going from three to two "as far as A330s are concerned," and the "ease of 'stowing' A320s by passing under the wings of A330″ is also no longer possible, due to the 'sharklets' [aerodynamic component on the wingtips].

He also stressed the reduction in personnel and the emergency agreement measures, "which introduced 'part time' regimes for the members of SITEMA [Aircraft Maintenance Technicians Union] and that it was possible to terminate since August 1st, which represented an equivalent increase in capacity of about 67" technicians.

In the note sent to Lusa, TAP considered that "the SPAC's communication strategy has focused on a constant attack on the management" of the company, arguing that "reality is not built through constant attacks and unjustified destructive narratives.

"The quality and success of any company's management is measured by the indicators and results obtained by that management," mentioning TAP will present results on August 23, and it is they, "and all the indicators they will show, that speak to the quality and credibility of TAP's management."

On Wednesday, the SPAC recalled that in 2018 TAP resorted to contracting out airlines to run its flights, paying about 200 million euros.

"This year's accounts will reflect the depth of this action with considerably more than the 200 million euros paid in 2018," predicted the union, adding that these are "values that management does not disclose, the guardianship does not monitor and taxpayers pay". Three unions in the aviation sector called on members to participate in an unprecedented "silent march" on Tuesday to "continue to draw everyone's attention" to the situation that, "unfortunately, today is experienced in TAP Air Portugal", was announced by the SPAC, the National Union of Civil Aviation Flight Personnel (SNPVAC) and Union of Aircraft Maintenance Technicians (SITEMA).

At the beginning of the month, SPAC joined more than 400 TAP pilots in a demonstration in Lisbon, near the company's headquarters. (Observador)