Luanda: The national airline TAAG has officially ended its international flight operations at Luanda’s 4 de Fevereiro Airport, shifting its services to the newly inaugurated Dr. Ant³nio Agostinho Neto Airport (AIAAN) in Icolo e Bengo province. This transition marks a significant milestone in Angola’s aviation history.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the final TAAG flights from the historic 4 de Fevereiro airport departed for various destinations, with the last flight on the Luanda-Lisbon route taking off at 11:50 p.m. local time. Other notable final departures included flights to Johannesburg, Lagos, and Nairobi, marking the end of an era for the airport that has served as a key aviation hub for 87 years.
TAAG’s Director of Communications and Press, Lus Jos©, emphasized the historical significance of this transition, noting that the airport has a longstanding connection with the airline. He expressed optimism about the move to the new facility, which promises enhanced operational efficiency, better fleet management, and improved customer experience.
The new Dr. Ant³nio Agostinho Neto International Airport, located in Bom Jesus municipality, was inaugurated by President Joo Louren§o in November 2023. It spans 1,324 hectares and is designed to handle 15 million passengers and 130,000 tons of cargo annually. The facility boasts two double runways, including a 4,000-meter south runway that hosted its first experimental flight in June 2022.
Equipped to accommodate large aircraft such as the B747 and A380, AIAAN features 31 aprons, nine baggage conveyors, and 26 immigration counters. Additional amenities include a large parking facility, retail space, VIP lounges, and infrastructure to assist passengers with reduced mobility, reinforcing its role as a modern aviation hub.
As TAAG transitions to the new airport, it has the distinction of being the first airline to operate from AIAAN, with a flight from Johannesburg expected to land at 3:00 a.m. local time. Emirates, another major airline, plans to relocate its operations to AIAAN by the end of October, underscoring the airport’s strategic importance in regional and international air travel.