TAAG Angola Airlines (Linhas Aéreas de Angola) is the national flag carrier of Angola. Based in Luanda, the airline has a large domestic network and flights to other parts of Africa, Europe and South America. Like South African Airways, TAAG has been one of the few profitable sub-Saharan African carriers and one of the few to recently purchase newly built aircraft as opposed to second-hand aircraft. It is 100% state owned by the Angolan government and itself owns 100% of subsidiary Angola Air Charter.
History
The airline was originally formed in September 1938 as DTA – Divisão dos Transportes Aéreos, by the Portuguese Colonial Government as a division of the Administration of Railways, Harbours and Air Transport. Operations started on 17 July 1940 using De Havilland Dragon Rapide biplanes.
In 1940, the airline was renamed DTA – Linhas Aéreas de Angola. In February 1974, the airline was renamed TAAG – Linhas Aéreas de Angola.
In 1975 after independence from Portugal the airline was named Angola's national flag carrier. During the 1970s the airline acquired several Ilyushin Il-62 aircraft along with Boeing 707 long-haul jets and Boeing 737s arriving in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Fokker F-27s were introduced on domestic routes at this time.
The Angolan government formed TAAG Air Angola for domestic operations. The airline relied on smaller jets, such as the Boeing 727 and Boeing 737's, for these local flights. It also used the larger, but older, Boeing 707's, as well as two examples of the Lockheed L-1011 Tristar in the 1990s.
TAAG began flights to six other African countries, as well as to Lisbon, Paris, Rome and Moscow.
TAAG bought a Boeing 747 with these longhaul routes in mind. Flights to Havana, via Sal Island, were operated for many years to transport Cuban advisors and other personnel, often on a fortnightly schedule. When granted rights to fly to Cuba, TAAG gained the distinction of being the only African airline to fly to José Martí International Airport in Havana.
TAAG had planned to commence services to the USA, UAE and China when it receives its third Boeing 777-200ER in late 2006. The first of the two B777s will initially replace the existing fleet of Boeing 747-300 Combis on flights that link Luanda with Johannesburg, Lisbon, Paris and Rio de Janeiro. The third Boeing 777 will be used to launch flights to Dubai and Beijing.
TAAG Air Angola has been sporadically mentioned in connection with the disappearance of Ben Charles Padilla and N844AA.
On June 28, 2007, it was announced that the EU is banning TAAG from flying within the EU over safety concerns, effective July 4. [1]
TAAG has dry leased its first two Boeing 777's to euroAtlantic Airways.
737 Accident
On June 28, 2007, it was reported that a TAAG 737 had crashed in northern Angola.
News agency Lusa said the Boeing 737 had taken off from the Angolan capital, Luanda, and was trying to land in M'banza Congo in the province of Zaire, which is in northern Angola near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
It is understood at least 5 people have been killed and 66 injured. Among those killed in the accident is the municipal administrator of M'banza Congo and a senior Roman Catholic priest from Italy. The priest was named as George Vilanelo.
The airplane was carrying 78 passengers and crashed at 13.30 local time (12.30 GMT).
The agency said the plane lost control upon landing and crashed into a building, destroying it. The director of the Angolan airport authority, Aeroportos de Angola, Celso Rosas told national radio the pilot had missed the runway for an unknown reason, while attempting an emergency landing. It said a number of severely injured passengers were taken to hospital for treatment.
According to aviation sources in Luanda, the aircraft apparently punctured two tires upon landing, causing one wing to dip and touch the runway. The plane then veered out of control and crashed into the building, they said.[2]
Initial press reports indicated that the airplane touched down about half way down the runway while attempting to land at M'Banza Congo.[3]
The cause of the accident is under investigation.
Destinations
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Fleet
The TAAG fleet includes the following aircraft (at March 2008) [4] :
TAAG Air Angola Fleet
| Aircraft |
Total |
Passengers
(Business/Economy) |
Routes |
Notes |
| Boeing 737-200 |
2 |
130 (12/118) |
Domestic |
|
| Boeing 727-100C |
2 |
|
Remote airports in Angola |
Leased aircraft S9-PST MSN 19859 (559) is Ex-First Air C-FPXD (Canada),Ex-Corp Air C-FPXD(Canada),Ex-Braniff (USA) |
| Boeing 737-700 |
4 |
120 |
|
|
| Boeing 777-200ER |
3 |
1 (305)
2 (255) |
Long haul
Europe and South Africa |
Boeing 777-200ER on order |
| Boeing 747-300SCD |
2 |
|
Long haul
Brazil and South Africa |
|
| Boeing 747-400 |
1 |
336 |
Long haul
Portugal |
Leased aircraft |
| Total number of aircraft |
14
|
|
|
It is also in negotiation for a Boeing 777-300ER. It has been reported that the airline is currently in negotiation with South African Airways (SAA) to acquire more 747-400's replacing the current 777 models that TAAG own; as they are not as suited as thought to the economic structure and profitability of the routing(s) they serve. [5]
References
External links
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Members of the International Air Transport Association |
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Asia-Pacific regional office |
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China and North Asia regional office |
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Latin America and the Caribbean regional office |
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Middle East and North Africa regional office |
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North America regional office |
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Russia and the CIS regional office |
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