TAAG Angola (DT) has announced the lease of nine Airbus A220 aircraft at the just-ended Paris Airshow. The Southern African airline joins other African airlines such as Air Tanzania in operating this modern and efficient aircraft.
In a show of commitment to modernisation TAAG, announced lease agreements at the Paris Air Show daily over a three-day period with various leasing companies.
Speaking on the first day of the air show, Eduardo Fairen TAAG’s Chief Executive Officer said “Incorporating four new A220 aircraft under this agreement is a clear sign of our international credibility and a major milestone in renewing the TAAG fleet.
We are deeply committed to growing the company, leveraging our market share and destination portfolio. Our passengers will benefit from higher connectivity options while planning their trips and a greater flight experience overall, as the Airbus A220 is a smart, tech-advanced equipment suitable for nowadays gadgets”.
Eduardo Fairen, TAAG C.E.O and Mike Jones of NAC at the Paris Airshow.
The A220 aircraft offers airlines operational capabilities and flexibility owing to its economic output and range. On average the A220 delivers 25% lower fuel burn per seat than its competitors while reducing noise and emissions. TAAG Angola added in a statement that it expects a saving of around 20% reduction in operational costs across its network.
Fairen took to social media to hint at more breaking news from TAAG Angola, commenting on his LinkedIn page, he teased by saying “and three more, stay tuned” and the next morning the airline made additional announcements on lease agreements.
“Incorporating the Airbus A220 clearly demonstrates TAAG’s ambition for modernization and growth, as the company is building a versatile fleet, able to address multiple flight typologies with greater operational efficiency, covering regional and international destinations,” said Eduardo Fairen.
WHAT HAS BEEN ORDERED
CONFIGURATION
It has been announced the TAAG’s A220’s will have a total of 142 seats, 12 of which will be business class and 130 economy class seats. The airline in June 2023 attended the Aircraft Interior in Hamburg, Germany and it is yet to be established which type of seats will be in the newly announced A220-300 fleet.
OPERATING CREW
TAAG announced a local content empowerment drive that will see the A220 aircraft being operated by an Angolan crew with a Luanda-based maintenance programme. The airline concluded that proper training will be provided to its staff.
CURRENT FLEET
Operating from its Luanda hub, TAAG operates a mixed fleet of 22 aircraft comprising of five Boeing 777-300ERs, 2 B777-200ERS, and 6 B737-700s that average 16 years of age and which are likely to be replaced by the A220S. The smallest aircraft in their fleet are 5 De Havilland of Canada Q800s.
ROUTES
TAAG operates in 14 local destinations and 13 regional and international destinations.