To get back to mainland Portugal from Madeira, I redeemed TK miles for the three of us. J internal to a country via A* awards cost 15K miles per person (was increased this year from a previous 10K - that was a bargain in places like the US!)
The best timed flights were actually FNC-OPO-LIS on TP rather than direct to LIS, so that is what we flew.
TP1710 FNC-OPO
A320-200 CS-TNU
Dep: sched 0840 / actual 0855
Arr: sched 1030 / actual 1033
Backtracking along the elevated runway.
Eurobusiness seating on TP. Cabin only about half full.
Note that there was no TP lounge at FNC, just a small generic ANA lounge. Not ANA as in NH, but rather ANA the Portuguese airport operator. The lounges are used by many operators and are generally small and disappointing.
Flight was a bog standard narrow body ride into OPO where it was overcast and clearly had just finished raining.
We only had an hour on the ground so waited again in an ANA lounge. Again crowded, but this time with a 10 minute line up just to get in. The line seemed to be mostly due to the lady at the front desk who seemed to be having a miserable day and just took a long time doing anything. Maybe it was by design…
After a coffee and a quick snack it was off for the short sector back to LIS, this time operated by Portugalia, operating as TAP Express, sort of a QFLink to mainline TP.
TP1927 (…ish
) OPO-LIS
ERJ-195 CS-TTW
Dep: sched 1200 / actual 1223
Arr: sched 1300 / actual 1300
Yes, only a 37 minute flight. But with a few extra minutes taxiing. Still served a snack and a drink in their 2-2 J cabin.
It was actually more comfortable than the A320 earlier in the morning.
We had a final night in Lisbon with a transit hotel booked at the LIS Holiday Inn Express. Mediocre hotel - wouldn’t stay there again as required an Uber there and then to go anywhere from the hotel. But it was much better value than the airport Melia right in front of the terminal.
