The move follows a new Open Skies Agreement.
TAAG’s first Boeing 787 (Photo: TAAG)
Angola’s national carrier, TAAG Angola Airlines, is preparing to launch non-stop flights to Houston, with Ishrion Aviation reporting on Tuesday, that the airline has filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation for service from Luanda.
This move, contingent on Angola securing a Federal Aviation Administration Category 1 certification, aligns with details shared by TAAG Chairman Antonio dos Santos Domingos during an interview conducted by NewsAero at the 56th AFRAA General Assembly in Cairo from November 17-19, 2024. The initiative is further enabled by the U.S.-Angola Open Skies Agreement, signed on October 15, 2024.
TAAG aims to restore Houston’s connection to Angola, a route inactive since SonAir’s Luanda-Houston service ended in 2018. According to the November 2024 interview, Domingos revealed, “We have plans to strengthen our international presence, particularly with the Luanda-Houston flight by 2027.”
To support this, TAAG is acquiring four Boeing 787 Dreamliners — two 787-8s and two 787-9s — with the first 787-8 registered as D2-TEQ, under a sale and leaseback agreement with AerCap delivered in late-January. These aircraft will replace aging Boeing 777-200ERs, offering the efficiency and range for the 7,636-mile route.
The Open Skies Agreement, formalized in Luanda by Angola’s Secretary of State Domingos Custódio Vieira Lopes and U.S. Ambassador Tulinabo Mushingi, sets the stage for TAAG’s U.S. ambitions.
Currently, TAAG operates a fleet of five Boeing 777-300ERs, three 777-200ERs, seven Boeing 737-700s, six Dash Q400s, two Airbus A220-300, and a Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Its cargo division includes a Boeing 737-800BCF and a converted 737-700. A second 737-800F is expected in 2025. TAAG Angola Airlines welcomed its second Airbus A220-300 registered as D2-TAF, on March 14.
The airline aims to expand its fleet to 50 aircraft by 2027, up from the present 26, with plans to phase out older Boeing 737-700s and 777s. Domingos also revealed that TAAG is considering the integration of the Boeing 737 MAX into its fleet, stating, “We have begun discussions, and an order is virtually confirmed. However, the availability of aircraft on the market remains a challenge.” Notably, out of TAAG’s seven Boeing 737-700s, only four are currently operational.
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