Cabo Verde Airlines (VR, Sal Amilcar Cabral International) took delivery of its first B737-8 on July 19, 2023, to kickstart its relaunch strategy and rebuild its network.
D4-CCJ (msn 60432) was flown from Victorville via Providence to Praia, where it was welcomed at an official ceremony. The 4.4-year-old jet was delivered to Comair (South Africa) in 2019 but returned in late 2021. It is owned by Boeing Capital and managed by Aergo Capital, the ch-aviation fleets ownership module shows.
"This is a significant moment for Cabo Verde Airlines. With the addition of the B737-8, we continue to expand our fleet to pre-pandemic levels. The delivery of an airplane with the capabilities of the B737-8 allows us to meet the growing travel demand to our archipelago country at the crossroads of four continents," Chief Executive and President Sara Pires said.
The state-owned airline received government guarantees to finance the jet's contract.
The MAX will allow CVA to rebuild its African, European, and American network. It will complement the carrier's only existing aircraft, a B737-700 on operating lease from TAAG Angola Airlines (DT, Luanda 4 De Fevereiro). With only one active aircraft, the airline flies between Cabo Verde and Portugal exclusively, connecting Praia, Sal Amilcar Cabral International, and São Vicente with Lisbon. The B737-8 is expected to be deployed, among others, on the resumed route to Boston to serve the sizeable Cabo Verdean diaspora in the US.
