en.Wedoany.com Reported - After the conditions set by the European Union for the government bailout expire, TAP Air Portugal plans to receive up to 24 new Airbus aircraft, including long-haul models, between 2027 and 2028.

According to the delivery schedule between Airbus, leasing partners, and TAP Air Portugal, the new aircraft for 2027-2028 will include 22 A320neo family aircraft and 2 A330-900s. Within this year, TAP Air Portugal will also receive 10 new aircraft.

An overview of Airbus orders shows that TAP Air Portugal still has 6 A320neo, 14 A321neo, and 2 A330-900 direct orders pending delivery. Additionally, the airline also obtains aircraft from leasing companies.

This expansion is facilitated by the expiration of relevant EU conditions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Brussels approved large-scale state aid from the Portuguese government to TAP Air Portugal, but to protect competition, the airline's operational fleet was capped at 99 aircraft.

According to earlier information, TAP Air Portugal plans to use the new long-haul aircraft to open new routes to the United States and Brazil. The airline is currently facing partial privatization, with Germany's Lufthansa and the Air France-KLM Group having expressed acquisition interest to the Portuguese government.

Lufthansa and TAP Air Portugal are both members of the Star Alliance and have a close partnership. According to Portuguese newspaper Eco, Lufthansa has committed to including TAP Air Portugal in the transatlantic joint venture "A++" operated with United Airlines and Air Canada. The Portuguese market is already important to Lufthansa. Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr stated in Lisbon that airlines under the Lufthansa Group operate 350 weekly flights to Portugal, a 75% increase compared to 2019, the pre-crisis year.

The Portuguese government initially planned to sell only 49.90% of TAP Air Portugal's shares, with 44.90% sold to investors and 5.0% allocated as employee shares. By the end of July 2026, Lufthansa and Air France-KLM can submit binding offers and strategic documents in Lisbon. Analysts value the shares in this privatization tender at up to 700 million euros.