Pope Benedict XVI flies from Porto to Rome with TAP
Thursday 13, May 2010
TAP will be the airline that brings His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI back to Rome on 14 May, following his papal visit to Portugal.
The return flight will take place on one of the newest and most modern aircraft in the Portuguese airline's medium-haul fleet, the A320-200 Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro.
Piloting the plane will be the head of TAP's A320 fleet, Commander Falé Borges, along with Commander Melo Correia and First Officer Vasco Batista. The cabin crew will consist of five flight attendants and two pursers, Nídia Simons and Luís Monteiro. Fernando Pinto, TAP Chief Executive Officer, joins the retinue.
The Holy Father's return flight takes place on 14 May, departing from the city of Porto at 2 p.m. Nearly one hundred passengers will join him on board.
The choice of TAP as the airline that will make the papal flight back to Rome takes on special significance for the company. Without a doubt, it is an honour for TAP and all its employees who, once more, will seek to give prestige to the colours and image of Portugal with the hospitality, warmth and quality of service that characterise the national airline.
TAP is proud to be the Portuguese airline that has made three papal flights during its 65 years of operation.
The first took place with Pope Paul VI on 13 May 1967, on a Caravelle aircraft flown between Rome and Fátima (Monte Real).
The other two trips took place in 1982 and 1991 with Pope John Paul II. The first time, Pope John Paul II returned to Rome aboard a Boeing 707. The second flight was made with TAP during his travels in Portugal (the Azores and Madeira) and on his return flight to the Italian capital.
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