Review of TAP Air Portugal flight Lisbon → Fes in Economy

Dear readers,

This Flight Report was originally written in French and I decided to share it again in English because it is one of the most interesting flight I made this year. On the one hand, it is a flight on a turboprop and this route was never reported before.

Today, I will bring you with me in Morocco and especially in Fez, the city where I have been living for 2 years.

The routing is the following with the first segment report in French.

Flight plan find on flightradar24 after the flight.

The flight video is written in French, so you should use the enclosed captions in English.

Flight video

I prepared a video going with this Flight Report, do not hesitate to watch it. This video is shortest than usually because I missed to shoot take-off.

Lisbon airport

I arrived at Lisbon airport by plane from Toulouse on a TAP Air Portugal flight, I leaved the aircraft by bus and I arrived at the Schengen zone of the unique terminal of this airport a few seconds ago.

I used the TAP Air Portugal application inside the aircraft when I arrived, so I already know that my boarding gate will be 43B. I need to pass through passport control. I use the automatic passport control for European Union & Swiss citizens. I do not have any problem apart from a Moroccan passenger who tried to pass here and she blocks the machine.

On the way to the boarding gate, I decide to make some spotting.

An Air Canada Rouge Boeing 767-300 going to Toronto reminds me my first long-haul flight with this airways company a few years ago.

An Airbus A330 from TAP Air Portugal, registered CS-TOO and named Fernão de Magalhães. This aircraft will go to Fortaleza, Brazil later in the afternoon.

I consult the Flight Information System Display System (FIDS), and I note that the boarding gate have not changed.

I am going to the boarding gate 43B.

Family picture

Airbus A330 registered as CS-TON and named João XX. It will go to Brazil later in the afternoon.

The boarding gate 43B is located at the middle of a corridor, it is the first time I see a gate like that.

I return to the boarding gate before the boarding starts. There is not so much seats for the passengers here but we can find some seats in other spaces of the terminal.

Few minutes later, a gate agent explain to me that the flight is overbooked, and they are looking for volunteers to let their seat to an other passenger and take the tomorrow flight. Unfortunately, I need to be in Morocco before Monday in the morning and it will be not possible if I do not take this flight.

I note that this flight on an ATR 72 might be overbooked and I could be a volunteer next time.

After that, another gate agent ask to me if I am a passenger going to Fez. I answered yes and she put this tag on my hand luggage.

Boarding

The boarding starts at 13:35 as expected. All the passengers are invited to board because there is only one boarding zone for this aircraft.

The boarding starts on foot by the downstairs in order to join the bus.

The boarding continues by bus.

I rediscover the ATR 72 which reminds me a flight made a long time ago.

We are going to fly on an ATR 72-600, registered as CS-DJE, and it is just 4 years old.

Some private jets are parked near to our aircraft.

The boarding is very slow because the flight is full and we can only board by the back door.

I meet the Emirates Boeing 777-300ER going to DubaÏ, I saw this flight on the FIDS before.

Double fuselage shot

Life on-board

I enter inside the cabin, the boarding is randomly because the passengers were mixed in the bus.

The cabin is pleasurable visually but the seats are really thin.

The legroom is very good thanks to the thin seats.

From my seat, I have a direct view on the propeller.

While the boarding continues, I read the safety instructions.

The boarding is completed at the expected time but cabin crew announces to the passengers that our flight is delayed due to traffic regulation.

A cabin crew distribute some water to all the passengers during the waiting for the start-up clearance.

Flight experience

After 1 hour of wait, engine 1 is started and then engine 2 is started too.

We pass ahead an Emirates Boeing 77-300ER delayed too because it was planned to take-off 10 minutes after us.

We are taxiing to the button of runway 03/21 which is used for take-offs and landings, we need to wait for this easyJet to take-off and for the next aircraft to land.

Now, it is our turn to take-off!

We are aligning on the runway for take-off just behind the aircraft which have just landed.

These Swiss Airbus A321 and easyJet A319 are waiting for there turns.

We rush forward on the runway and we take-off delayed by approximately 1 hour.

The feelings on a turbo propeller aircraft are different, the noise from the engine is terrible.

Take-off is longer and louder than on a jetliner, while the cabin is so quiet.

The climb offers some beautiful views of Lisbon city.

Praça Marquês de Pombal

Marquis of Pombal Square

We are leaving Lisbon, bye!

Then, we are turning over the sea.

Another good view on the Portuguese landside.

We are climbing quickly over the clouds.

We continue to climb.

I set up a personal In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) but it not comfortable because the aircraft is noisy.

A meal is served on a tray for the pilot, after that the service starts for the passengers.

A light meal is served with a beverage. I can choose a beverage between different juices, coffee, tea and even some wine! I choose the orange juice in order to go with the pieces of apple.

For those who wants to know the ingredients, here is the list.

The composition of this light meal intrigues me, there is a mixture with fish and a kind of little breads and some segments of apple.

It is fresh and I like this light meal for a flight in the beginning of afternoon.

This flight is a little bit long and nothing interesting happens excepting the view through the window. We are flying over the Atlantic Ocean.

Land in sight!

We are now flying over Morocco, we are flying over Larache which is a city in the south of Asilah.

I find Fez city distantly, between the mountains. The approach will be different than usual for me today, because usually I fly from Toulouse or Montpellier on a direct flight.

Sidi Kacem

The approach is longer than usual for me because on the turboprop engines, and the weather is good.

We land at Fez-Saïss airport delayed by 55 minutes, during taxiing we meet a Bulgarian Airbus A320 which operates some flights for Royal Air Maroc (RAM) between Fez and Paris Orly.

Last turn

We park near to the Bulgarian seen before which has his cargo doors opened even if it will take-off in a few hours.

Engines are stopped.

The passengers leave the aircraft row by row, I will be one of the latest to leave the aircraft this time.

A little tractor to claim our checked luggages.

Fez-Saïss airport

Here, the ATR 72-600 which brings us to Fez.

Look at the background! We parked near to 2 private jets from the Moroccan army, and a military helicopter. These aircrafts might be parked here because Moroccan king is at Fez currently.

There is also a Boeing 737-800 from RAM wearing the old livery.

Bulgarian

Before I enter inside of the terminal, I am overtaked by my checked luggage.

I arrive with the last wave of passengers at the passport control.

There is also a Pearl Lounge at the arrivals, what a strange idea.

Many offices are opened and the control is fluid.

Luggage delivery ended before I arrive, I pick-up my checked luggage and I leave this zone.

I join the arrivals hall of the airport, and I meet my taxi driver who was informed for the delay because he uses flightradar24 too.

There were a lot of people inside the terminal because the access is not restricted yet.

I try to withdraw at the ATM inside of the terminal but it was out of order, that's why the mark of the airport services is low.

I shoot a photography of the terminal, as you can see the weather is good in Morocco.

Thanks you for reading this Flight Report, I hope you enjoyed it. If you want you can leave a comment in the section below or like this Flight Report.

Se you soon for another flight!