TAAG Angola Airlines takes delivery of its fifth Dash 8-400
In 2019, TAAG Angola Airlines has ordered six Dash 8-400s. In addition to being part of its fleet modernisation strategy, the entry into service of turboprops is in line with its policy to optimise its domestic and sub-regional network.
TAAG Angola Airlines has taken delivery of a new Dash 8-400. The aircraft, which left Toronto, Canada on January 22, arrived in Luanda yesterday, Monday January 24, after successive stops in St. John's, Newfoundland (Canada), Santa Maria (Azores/Portugal), Nouakchott (Mauritania) and Accra (Ghana). The new aircraft, MSN 4630, registration D2-TFE, has been named 'Cunhinga' after a town in central Angola.
It is the penultimate of a six-unit order from the airline. The first four (MSN 4616/4619/4620/4629) were delivered in July and August 2020 and February and September 2021 respectively. The last aircraft is expected by the second half of 2022.
These new aircraft meet the strategic thrusts of the company's turnaround plan, developed in July 2019. "One of the main objectives of our restructuring and reform plan is the financial balance of the company. And financial balance depends, among other things, on the balance of the fleet," explained former CEO Rui Carreira, who was removed from his position in October 2021.
Since they were introduced, they have been used primarily on the domestic network, which includes a dozen routes. The Dash8-400 is also expected to serve regional destinations near Luanda.
TAAG Angola Airlines hopes to use the aircraft as a pillar for rebuilding its network, which has been drastically affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Angolan flag carrier, which carries an average of 1.5 million passengers per year, recorded a drastic drop in traffic in 2020, with losses in revenue reaching up to US$270 million.
In addition to the Dash8-400s, the TAAG Angola Airlines fleet also includes five Boeing 737-700s, three 777-200s and five 777-300s.
