Angolan flag carrier TAAG has announced the final stage of its transition to the country’s new international airport, set to begin 19 October.
According to a press release issued by the company, all departing and arriving flights for destinations including São Paulo, Maputo, Lagos, Lisbon, and Johannesburg and Cape Town, as well as seasonal routes to Porto and Havana will be exclusively operated from the Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (known by the Portuguese abbreviation AIAAN).
Portuguese news agency Lusa reports that TAAG started transferring its commercial passenger flights to AIAAN in November 2024, with domestic and regional flights already operating there. The transfer of international flights, originally scheduled for 15 September, was pushed back due to operational issues and delays in ground-handling certification and other key services.
The company lauded the final stage of the phased transition process, calling it “a historic milestone in Angola’s civil aviation ecosystem.”
During the transition period, a shuttle service between the old Luanda international airport and AIAAN will be provided for transit passengers whose journey partially involves foreign airlines not yet based at the new airport. TAAG urged passengers to plan their trips to AIAAN in advance to allow for sufficient time for check-in, boarding and related procedures.
[See more: President João Lourenço of Angola makes the case for US investment in Africa]
Inaugurated in November 2023, the Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport is the largest Chinese-built airport outside of China. The modern US$3.8 billion facility sits on a 43-hectare site in Icolo e Bengo, some 40 kilometres southeast of its now 71-year-old predecessor, Quatro de Fevereiro Airport in Luanda.
Designed to accommodate 15 million passengers and 130,000 metric tons of cargo annually, the new facilities offer Angola plenty of room to grow as the country seeks to position AIAAN as a gateway to Angola and a “key reference hub in Southern Africa.”
Keen to enhance regional connectivity and improve operational efficiency, TAAG has also embarked on a fleet modernisation strategy. The company took delivery of its first Airbus A220 last September, followed by a second this March and a third in June, with ongoing deliveries expected to continue through 2027.
Earlier this month, it received the second Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft in its fleet, another aircraft known for its fuel efficiency, reduced carbon dioxide emissions and lower operating costs, all while offering a modern, quiet and comfortable cabin for passengers.
