Airbus on a mission of seduction in Angola with an A220-300 from Air Baltic
TAAG Angola Airlines will receive its first Airbus A220-300 in August 2023. In anticipation of its arrival, the Angolan carrier and European aircraft manufacturer Airbus presented a prototype on Tuesday 6 December 2022 at Luanda International Airport to customers, shareholders, partners, government and diplomatic representatives.
The aircraft showcased is a newly delivered Air Baltic unit (YL-ABL, MSN 55183). It is the largest operator of the A220-300 in the world with nearly forty aircraft in its fleet. For the occasion, the aircraft performed a one-hour demonstration flight in the Angolan sky.
The Angolan state-owned carrier is expecting six new A220-300s under the agreement reached with US lessor Air Lease Corporation (ALC) in July 2022 on the sidelines of the Farnborough Air Show.
The TAAG modules, powered by PW1500G engines, will have a seating capacity of 142, including 12 in business class, a cargo capacity of 28 min 3 s and a flight range of 7 to 8 hours. The new aircraft will have a range of up to 3,450nm and the carrier expects to achieve fuel savings of around 25% compared to the Boeing 737s they will gradually replace, as well as a 20% reduction in overall operating costs.
"Our goal is to work with the best manufacturers in the world to create a multi-brand fleet. This is the way to ensure that we have the right aircraft for each type of flight, namely our regional and intercontinental routes," said Eduardo Fairen, CEO of TAAG.
According to Airbus, more than 230 A220s have already been delivered - including 39 units in 2022 - to 16 airlines operating on four continents. The fleet currently flies on more than 800 routes and 325 destinations worldwide. At the end of October, the manufacturer's order book showed 556 aircraft to be delivered.
