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In November, my friend and I enthusiastically set out to book a trip to Portugal scheduled for March. Our planning journey began with selecting hotels, followed by the crucial step of securing flights.

While scouring for the best deals, we discovered that TAP Air Portugal, the national airline of Portugal, offered the most economical nonstop flights. This included routes from the United States to Lisbon and onward to Madeira, a picturesque Portuguese island located approximately 600 miles into the Atlantic Ocean.

We each shelled out $565 for a round trip from New York City to Lisbon and an additional $171 for the journey from Lisbon to Madeira. Typically, I approach low-cost flights from US carriers with a degree of skepticism. I am of the belief that cheaper options often come with hidden fees or a compromise in the quality of service.

However, TAP Air's pricing seemed competitive with that of other airlines, which led us to feel relatively secure in our choice without diving too deep into the airline's reputation. My previous experiences with national airlines such as Turkish Airlines, Air France, and Icelandair had all been positive, so I expected a pleasant journey this time as well.

Unfortunately, our excitement took a downward turn months before we were even scheduled to fly. In January, merely two months ahead of our departure, we received an unexpected email notifying us of an itinerary change.

To our dismay, our return flight from Lisbon to New York was postponed by 24 hours, now scheduled to leave on Friday, March 28, rather than Thursday, March 27. The email provided no explanation for the change, and despite our efforts to reach out for clarification, TAP Air Portugal did not respond to our inquiries.

This alteration in our return flight plans was particularly concerning as we had initially chosen to depart on Thursday to save costs. An unforeseen additional day in Lisbon meant we would incur extra expenses, including approximately $200 for hotel accommodations and around $100 for meals throughout the day.

Despite the inconvenience, we decided to adapt to the new schedule. We accepted the revised flight, adjusted our budget, and even booked another hotel for the unexpected extra night. We planned to take advantage of this adjustment by scheduling a day trip to Sintra, a charming resort town located just an hour away by train.

Although this change was manageable for us, it could have posed a significant burden for travelers with tighter budgets or those needing to return to the States sooner.

As our trip progressed, we faced further dilemmas. After four days of exploring the vibrant city of Lisbon, we were set to travel to Madeira. Our flight was scheduled to arrive on Wednesday afternoon, and we arrived at Lisbon's Humberto Delgado Airport nearly three hours ahead of time, excited for the next leg of our journey.

However, upon checking in, we were hit with yet another setback: our flight was overbooked, and we did not have assigned seats. We joined a throng of disgruntled passengers scrambling to resolve their flight issues at the check-in desk.

A TAP Air representative managed to relocate us to two new seats on a flight that was five hours later than originally planned, meaning we would land at midnight, just a few hours before an early morning hike scheduled for 5:30 a.m.

As compensation, we were issued $250 flight vouchers along with meal and snack vouchers, which we accepted while waiting to board. Time was spent playing cards to pass the hours until our delayed flight finally departed.

By the time we reached our hotel in Madeira, it was around 1 a.m., and fatigue was setting in. The following day brought yet another surprise: at about 4 p.m., we received an email indicating that our return flight to Lisbon, scheduled for two days later, had been canceled.

A few hours later, we were automatically rescheduled for a new 9 p.m. flight that was a full 12 hours later than our original booking. Frustrated by this continued disruption, my friend opted to book an earlier Ryanair flight back to Lisbon, incurring an additional $113 each. Once again, we faced unexpected expenses that strained our budget.

With our itinerary once again altered, we shifted our focus from visiting Sintra to seeking out new activities to enjoy in Madeira since we would be returning to Lisbon later than anticipated. Determined to make the most of our time, we arranged a morning excursion to watch the sunrise over Pico do Areeiro, ensuring we still enjoyed some exploration during our altered trip.

When it came to dealing with TAP Air's customer service, we found ourselves increasingly frustrated. After the flight cancellation, we learned we were entitled to a refund based on TAP Air's terms and conditions, given that our flight was delayed by more than five hours and we were not taking a replacement flight provided by the airline.

However, we quickly discovered that accessing the refund through the airline's website was an exercise in futility. My friend attempted to submit her information online, only to be met with repeated errors that forced her to restart the process from the beginning. Despite trying multiple times, including entering my information on my phone, we faced the same frustrating outcome.

Upon landing in Lisbon, we had roughly 24 hours before our final flight back to New York. We saw this as an opportunity to unwind after the chaotic travel experiences we had endured throughout the week. However, our struggles didnt end there. At the Lisbon airport, we approached the TAP Air customer service desk for assistance.

My friend had taken the initiative to record her attempts at using the website to request a refund, presenting the evidence to the representative. Unfortunately, she was informed that the only way to request a refund was either through the problematic website or by phone.

But the website doesnt work, my friend explained, exasperated.

You have to use the website, came the unhelpful reply.

While waiting to board our flight back home, I turned to online forums to read more about other travelers' experiences with TAP Air. A common theme emerged many users expressed dissatisfaction with the airline's customer service, with some reporting that it could take months to receive a response, while one unfortunate traveler claimed to have waited over three years to hear back.

In the end, we abandoned our attempts to secure a refund through TAP Air. Weeks later, my friend is still awaiting a response regarding her chargeback request submitted to her credit card company shortly after we returned home.

Looking back on the entire ordeal, we both agreed that we would be willing to pay extra for a different airline should we decide to travel internationally again in the future. Ultimately, our trip ended up costing us significantly more than we had originally planned, both financially and in terms of time.

In total, we incurred an extra $113 for new flights, $125 for additional hotel costs, plus over $100 for meals. This brought our unanticipated expenses to nearly $400, an amount we had not budgeted for.

The issue was not merely the fact that our flight was canceled or overbooked such events are an unfortunate part of air travel that one should mentally prepare for. Rather, it was the series of unfortunate experiences compounding within a single week that left us feeling disillusioned. Next time, I would gladly pay an additional $100 or $200 to fly with an airline I trust, such as Delta or United, for international travel. For shorter flights, I would also consider Ryanair or easyJet, where my previous experiences have been far more satisfactory.

In light of our experience, even with the allure of a free voucher, I would think twice before booking with TAP Air again. If I did, I would need to brace myself for the likelihood of further disappointments and the need to continuously adjust my plans.