Portugal's flag carrier fires its two top bosses in payment row

TAP Air Portugal chief executive Christine Ourmieres-Widener and chair of the board of directors Manuel Beja have left the airline, according to EU news channel Euractiv.

Ourmieres-Widener, who once headed Flybe and is a former Air France executive, has been replaced by Luis Rodrigues, former chief executive of Azores airline SATA.

The row centres on a €450,000 payment to Alexandra Reis, who left the state-owned airline in December to take a position in Portugal’s treasury.

Portuguese press agency Lusa said the other members of the executive committee would remain in place.

Lusa quoted infrastructure minister Joao Galamba, who told a press conference: "By facing the problems head on as we do and in a comprehensive manner, I have full confidence that TAP will successfully pursue the path to its future sustainability which will include the privatisation of part of its capital."