TAP sale agreed by Portuguese government
I spend a lot of time in Portugal and I am not sure to what extent this development has been covered in the UK but from RTP news reports it would appear that a sale figure has now been agreed.
I mention this because the new owners have pledged themselves to develop both the airline's short haul (Europe) and long haul route structure, particularly to South America.
With Brazil, in particular, destined to be a developing market over the next 10 years i would hope that BHX management are making all the right noises to TAP to establish a direct link to Lisbon. I know there are daily flight from MAN but i do not find that airport the easiest place to get to or like.
From a practical point of view Lisbon is the ideal hub to fly to for onward connection to either Rio, Brasilia or Sao Paulo -- ideal in the sense that the journey is up to two hours less than transiting in either Amsterdam, Paris or Frankfurt from a starting base in BHX.
I visit Brazil regularly and, particularly on the 0600 KLM flight from BHX to AMS i am often struck by the number of people making the same journey. Add to that Paris and Frankfurt, and there is maybe a solid base for TAP to 'tap' into.