Luanda: TAAG Angola Airlines launched its inaugural flight between Luanda and Abidjan on Monday. This new air link, operating from the Dr. Ant³nio Agostinho Neto International Airport, marks a significant step in strengthening bilateral cooperation and economic ties between Angola and C´te d'Ivoire.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the opening of this new route aims to expand the destinations of the national company towards the goal of transforming Angola into a regional and continental hub. The inaugural flight featured an Airbus A220-300 aircraft, which departed from Dr. Ant³nio Agostinho Neto International Airport in Bom Jesus with 137 passengers on board. Upon arrival at F©lix Houphou«t-Boigny International Airport in Abidjan, the flight was greeted with the traditional "water arch" baptism and a cultural reception showcasing local music and dance.
The delegation onboard included institutional entities, members of the Board of Directors of TAAG, representatives of the diplomatic corps of both countries, and journalists. The new route, aimed at enhancing regional connectivity, will operate three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with a direct service lasting approximately four hours.
Cl³vis Rosa, the chairman of the Board of Directors of TAAG, emphasized that the new route is intended to boost mobility, trade, and cooperation between Angola and C´te d'Ivoire, which is considered the economic capital of French-speaking West Africa. He noted that this connection reaffirms TAAG's expansion plan on the continent and consolidates Angola's position as a strategic regional connection point.
Rosa also highlighted that the operation to Abidjan was designed to optimize connections from Luanda, facilitating access to destinations such as Lisbon in Europe, Johannesburg and Cape Town in Southern Africa, and So Paulo in Latin America for passengers coming from C´te d'Ivoire. He added that this step brings the number of regional destinations served by TAAG to over a dozen, reinforcing economic integration within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).