TAAG Angola Airlines has identified South Africa as an important strategic market for its growing cargo operations. This comes ahead of the Air Cargo Africa event, which will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, this week.
The airline's Cargo Director, Sajid Khan, Deputy Director and Division Manager, will attend Air Cargo Africa, the sector's leading industry exhibition and conference in Johannesburg from February 21 to 23. This will be an opportunity for the airline to showcase its services to other industry stakeholders while exploring its target market.
TAAG Angola Airlines is the nation's flag carrier based in the capital, Luanda. For more than 80 years, it has connected Angolans with its critical domestic and international markets, offering passenger and air cargo services that have become essential for Angola's growth and development.
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Air Cargo Africa
Air Cargo Africa is the continent's leading air cargo exhibition and conference. It engages the global air cargo community to explore and strengthen networking corridors within the African continent through delivering business opportunities, global perspectives, and robust networking platforms.
With 69 exhibitors, 1,550 visitors, and 640 delegates, the conference will allow TAAG to identify business opportunities and establish a strong network in South Africa. Khan said in a statement,
"South Africa is a key market within our cargo strategy and operational footprint. In 2022, we transported approximately 1,632,000 kg of miscellaneous goods/cargo from Johannesburg to different parts of the world, and the trend is to increase the volume of cargo and demand for our services"
Khan added that South Africa currently exports a vast range of goods. It is also the continent's departure and arrival focal point for cargo pick-up and drop-off through OR Tambo International, its main airport, and Port of Durban, the leading container port. TAAG is a key distributor connecting intra-African markets and intercontinental cargo hubs.
The flag carrier's network
TAAG's network connects multiple countries and regions from its hub in Luanda (LAD), including Mozambique (MPM), São Tomé (TMS), Namibia (WDH), Nigeria (LOS), South Africa (JNB, CPT, DUR), Portugal (LIS), Spain (MAD), Italy (FCO), Brazil (GRU), and Cuba (HAV). It is currently the only operator in the Southern Hemisphere to connect Africa to South America.
The Southern African airline is currently exploring options for expanding its route network to serve other continents. TAAG plans to re-launch routes to and from China, allowing it to operate flights from South America to Africa and Asia, with Angola as a stopover.
TAAG's cargo operations are expected to grow exponentially once Dr António Agostinho Neto Airport, Angola's new modern international airport, opens. Operations at the hub are scheduled to commence in 2024, and the airport will be able to handle 15 million passengers and 50,000 tons of cargo per year. TAAG CEO Eduardo Fairen Soria said,
“Cargo segment is nowadays strategic for TAAG with a rising contribution to the company’s sustainability. Thus, I see positive synergies and benefits for the business regarding the New Luanda International Airport, Dr António Agostinho Neto going live in the next years."
Last week, the airline announced that it transported one million passengers in 2022, surpassing its annual average of 500,000. Eduardo Fairen attributed the success to the new domestic, regional, and intercontinental routes and increased frequencies, resulting in 28 national and international destinations. This indicates that TAAG is on the right growth path, as it aims to transport three million passengers annually.
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