TAAG Angola Airlines’ brand-new route from Quatro de Fevereiro (LAD) to King Shaka International (DUR) via O. R. Tambo International (JNB) has officially taken to the skies. The addition sees the Luanda-based carrier up its South African offerings to three destinations alongside its established Cape Town (CPT) frequencies.
Route details
In a first for the TAAG, three weekly flights will connect Luanda and Durban, with a short stopover in Johannesburg, on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The growing airline is expected to run the service through winter, being replaced with a direct Luanda-Durban flight in early 2023.
The addition will see TAAG significantly increase its presence within the country and its dominance on Luanda’s South African-based routes. TAAG is currently the only carrier at the airport to offer direct flights to Cape Town and Durban.
A second service to Accra’s Kotoka International Airport (ACC) is set to relaunch on November 30 after a brief delay to reassess market conditions. The two cities will be connected with three weekly flights on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. TAAG initially dropped flights to Ghana in December 2007, with this month’s inaugural flight ending the 15-year hiatus.
In a statement, the carrier explained that its latest network additions reflect its growth and expansion as it moves into high-demand, international markets.
Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today.
International developments
TAAG has notably undergone a rapid restructuring over the past 12 months following the appointment of 22-year industry veteran Eduardo Fairen as chief executive in October 2021. Fairen has overseen the carrier’s international growth as it develops Luanda as a global hub, adding an array of new routes and bolstering current international and domestic services.
The airline currently offers flights to 14 international destinations, primarily focusing on Africa, Latin America, and the Iberian Peninsula, though TAAG has been looking to develop its network further.
“We will continue our growth path by adding new routes, increasing frequencies in existing destinations, and upgrading the fleet,” Fairen wrote in a company statement.
“At the same time, we are fostering our enablers to have more and more passengers choosing TAAG as their airline of choice for domestic and international travels.”
In October, TAAG launched a codeshare agreement with Spanish flag carrier Iberia, adding connections from Luanda to nine major European cities, including Madrid (MAD), Barcelona (BCN), Amsterdam (AMS), and Rome (FCO). TAAG’s side of the agreement will see Iberia’s passengers connected to Cape Town, Johannesburg, Windhoek (WDH), and Maputo (MPM) through Luanda.
To support its network growth, TAAG is expected to take delivery of six leased Airbus A220-300s through 2023 to replace its aging Boeing 737-700s. The carrier celebrated the order, citing the jet’s flexibility on low-density intra-African services. The ultra-efficient narrowbody is expected to cut fuel consumption on medium and longer-haul routes by around 30%, accounting for a 20% reduction in operating costs for the carrier. The A220 will slot in alongside its current active fleet, comprised of three Boeing 777-300ERs for long-haul operations and five regional DHC-8-400s.
What are your thoughts on TAAG Angola Airlines’ newest routes? What other destinations would you like to see the airline cover? Let us know in the comments.