TAAG Angola Airlines' first B787-9 entered commercial service on the Luanda 4 De Fevereiro-Johannesburg O.R. Tambo route on April 5 marking a "milestone" in the ongoing modernisation of the state-owned airline's fleet, according to CEO Nelson Rodrigues de Oliveira.
In a statement, he said TAAG's inaugural B787-9 commercial flight and the integration of D2-TEQ (msn 66877) into the airline's regular schedule represents a "new era" for the airline in terms of product and customer experience. The 313-seater is configured in three clasess: 16 in business class, 21 in premium economy, and 276 in economy.
In an interview with Portugal's TNews, de Oliveira said the fleet modernisation aims to improve passenger experience, reduce environmental impact, and keep TAAG competitive, all of which are key focus areas in TAAG's strategic business plan for 2024-2029.
With the expected arrival of three more B787s this year, TAAG is looking to expand its long-haul network to Asia and Europe. In particular, it is considering restarting flights to Porto in Portugal, which were halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously operating 3x weekly, the route could return with one or two weekly flights. Porto presents a promising market not only for passengers but also for cargo, and TAAG has existing infrastructure in the city, de Oliveira said. He added that passengers and travel agents had expressed interest in the route's return, and the airline is in the final stages of assessing the business opportunity before making a decision.
He disclosed that business cases were also already being prepared for two more destinations, one in Europe and one in Asia, but he declined to elaborate at this stage. He confirmed that TAAG is also eyeing the United States as a codeshare with a US or foreign carrier.
Regarding the fleet, de Oliveira said that the airline currently operates five B777-300ERs, with two being refurbished to improve cabin services, entertainment, and catering, particularly for flights to Portugal. Some B777-200ERs are being brought back into service, with one already flying. All B737s (seven B737-700s, one B737-700(QC), one B737-800(BCF)) are currently in operation, he highlighted. In addition, TAAG has received its first two A220-300. It has eleven more A220s on order, according to ch-aviation fleets data.
