As TAP sale looms, Portugal hopes new CEO will clear the air

Fresh from turning round Portuguese airline SATA, Luis Rodrigues now has to do it again - and more - after he was picked by the government to lead troubled flagship carrier TAP as it readies for privatisation. The process could start as soon as next month, so there’s no time to lose. At least three global majors, Lufthansa, Air France-KLM and British Airways owner IAG, have shown an interest. But Rodrigues will need to reassure investors that TAP has turned a corner after a series of scandals, and mend fences with unions, which are demanding a reversal of the 20% pay cuts that remain after the airline nearly went bust in the pandemic. A source close to the 58-year-old said he was “very confident” about the challenge ahead and had spent his first six weeks at the helm studying the books, making internal organisational changes and negotiating with labour leaders. Before starting at TAP on April 14, he told reporters he would address “without taboos” issues with the unions, and he met them just a week after taking over. Tiago Faria Lopes, head of pilots’ union SPAC, described the meeting as “constructive”. He said Rodrigues took lots of notes, expressed concern about the current state of TAP, but also said he expected tensions between the company and unions to ease. TAP declined to comment for this story or provide Rodrigues for interview. In a sign of his popularity at SATA, about a hundred employees in October signed a petition asking the Azores’ regional government to reappoint Rodrigues as CEO when his term was about to expire. He was reappointed in December, but by March had been lined up by Lisbon to take over at TAP. People who have worked with him agree he is a good fit given his knowledge of TAP and the industry, his calm manner in a crisis and good communication skills.<br/>