The president of APAVT also took advantage of his intervention to also leave some messages for TAP. Addressing the CEO of the public company, Luís Rodrigues, sitting in the audience among more than a thousand congressmen, Pedro Costa Ferreira highlighted the incompatibilities between travel agencies and the air carrier.
“Yes, we have many reasons to complain, with some topics dragging on for no apparent reason. Yes, we accept our differences“, he assured.
Among the various reasons opposing APAVT and TAP, Pedro Costa Ferreira highlighted “the revolting situation of non-acceptance of credit cards from travel agencies, by TAP, which accepts all other credit cards, thus dividing the world between normal people and travel agencies”.
Still, and despite the points of friction, the association’s representative recognized not only the “importance of TAP” but also the “merit of its management”. “In the end, it is credibility, loyalty and competence that count, and that open the door to resolving issues on which we differ. Knowing all this, there are times when we have to take positions clearly”, he pointed out.
“Dear Luís Rodrigues, we count on you, not only to manage our differences with the loyalty that has characterized you, but also to bring TAP to a successful conclusion, preparing it for a successful privatization”, he challenged.
Regarding the ongoing privatization process, in which Air France-KLM, IAG and Lufthansa compete, he highlighted the successful sale of the 44.9% stake in the air carrier “is much more dependent on the way TAP presents itself from an economic-financial point of view, than on any other factor“.
In the infrastructure chapter, Pedro Costa Ferreira once again highlighted “the difficulties in operating Lisbon airport, the doubts regarding the new airport, currently directed to Alcochete” as well as the “problems inherent to the delay in railway projects.