I'm just recovering from a terrible journey with TAP, and posting to a) rant, b) get any advice about complaining and possible compensation, c) warn against using TAP.
I had a trip from the Azores to my home city via Lisbon (single booking). The incoming plane couldn't land due to wind, so had to turn back to Lisbon and come back to collect us after a 9 hour delay. TAP automatically rebooked me on the flight from Lisbon to home the following evening.
In these circumstances the airline should provide a hotel. I arrived in Lisbon around 2am, and waited with the TAP staff for over 2 hours to be given accommodation. Six other people were in the same situation and were gradually sent off in taxis. When only I was left, the one staff member remaining told me she couldn't find me a hotel with the airline's 'booking protocol', but I could book one myself with booking . com and get reimbursed. I told her booking . com won't allow you to book a hotel at that time for the current night (I'd already checked), which she denied until I started to show her the app. She then said she'd phoned the two airport hotels and both had rooms available but I needed to go there and get a room directly.
This was not true. Neither hotel had a room available, so I was alone, outside the airport, at 4.30am with no possibility of a hotel and my flight home very late that evening.
I couldn't even go back to the safety of airside departures as security won't let you through more than 8 hours before your flight (and landside departures is dodgy at that time). Thank heavens, I managed to get a room at one of the airport hotels at 10am, after waiting around for over 5 hours on no sleep and in very uncomfortable surroundings. I finally got my late flight home that night after a 36 hour journey.
I understand the weather conditions were out of their control, and while I'm upset that the staff member lied to me, I imagine there was little she could do and she wanted to get home herself (although she could at least have advised me to stay airside...).
I am angry because TAP could've told me at 2pm that I would need to book my own accommodation in Lisbon - I easily could've done so during my long delay. They knew my connection would be missed, but didn't start looking for a room for me until my early hours arrival in Lisbon. I honestly would've been better with Ryanair, when at least you know you have to fend for yourself.
So please, don't use TAP at the moment - I know (now) that they are near bankruptcy, cancel many journeys, and are referred to in Portugal as standing for Take Another Plane. I still find it hard to believe that the national airline couldn't find one person a room in Lisbon for one night.
I'm hoping, perhaps optimistically, to claim the cost of my hotel room for the day back from them. Any advice on effective routes to complain and perhaps get compensation for a very traumatic journey would be welcome!