TAAG Angola Airlines recently announced the addition of four Boeing 787 Dreamliners to its ageing fleet, in a bid to modernise passengers’ flying experience, according to reports.
The wide-body 787 Dreamliner is significantly more fuel efficient than the airline’s existing planes, which include models from Boeing (US), Airbus (France), and Bombardier (Canada). TAAG’s CEO, Eduardo Fairen said in a statement that he would start replacing the airline’s older Boeing 777-200ERs with Dreamliners from the third quarter of 2024.
“The objective is to work with the best manufacturers in the world, to create a versatile fleet for TAAG and ensure that we have the appropriate aircraft for each type of flight, particularly on intercontinental connections,” he said in a statement.
[See more: Angola’s national carrier set to return to China]
Luanda-based TAAG currently serves 12 domestic and 13 international destinations, across Africa, Europe, South America and China.
Boeing’s vice-president of Commercial Sales and Marketing for Africa, Anbessie Yitbarek, said the new Dreamliners would “enable TAAG Angola Airlines to open new routes and expand their international network.”
TAAG’s will fly both 787-9 and 797-10 Dreamliners. The former can carry up to 296 passengers, while the latter takes up to 336. Both have a wingspan of 60 metres. Dreamliners first entered the market in 2011.
Boeing’s commercial projections indicate Africa will experience the third-highest growth in air traffic among global regions over the next two decades. Growth has been forecast at 7.4 percent – above the global average of 6.1 percent.
