According to a press release, starting October 19, all flights departing and arriving at destinations including Lisbon (Portugal), São Paulo (Brazil), Johannesburg, Cape Town (South Africa), Lagos (Nigeria), Windhoek (Namibia), São Tomé (São Tomé and Príncipe), Maputo (Mozambique), Nairobi (Kenya), as well as the seasonal routes to Porto and Havana, will operate exclusively from Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN). This already includes domestic and regional routes to Brazzaville (Congo) and Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo).
TAAG states that this strategic decision marks the completion of a phased transition process, representing “a historic milestone in the civil aviation ecosystem in Angola.”
“The consolidation of TAAG operations at AIAAN brings significant gains in operational efficiency, fleet management synergy, and an improved customer experience, reinforcing the national strategy to establish Luanda/Icolo and Bengo as a key hub in Southern Africa,” the statement notes.
The Angolan airline highlights that during the transition period, a shuttle service will be available between Luanda’s 04 de Fevereiro International Airport and AIAAN for transit passengers, whose travel is partially undertaken by foreign airlines not yet based at the new airport.
TAAG advises passengers to plan their journey to the AIAAN, located in Bom Jesus, Icolo and Bengo province, in advance, “to ensure sufficient time for check-in, boarding, and similar procedures.”
“Useful information regarding the complete transfer of TAAG’s commercial passenger flights to AIAAN will be shared regularly through the company’s official channels and partner travel agency networks,” it adds.
The AIAAN, an infrastructure valued at $2.8 billion, was inaugurated on November 10, 2023, by the President of Angola, João Lourenço, and is situated 42 kilometers from downtown Luanda, the country’s capital.
Spanning an area of 75 square kilometers, the AIAAN is designed to accommodate large aircraft like the Airbus A380 and has a capacity to handle 15 million passengers annually, which is five times the traffic currently managed by the existing 04 de Fevereiro International Airport, according to the Ministry of Transport.
