PARIS — TAAG Angola Airlines (DT) announced a new long-term lease agreement with NAC for two new Airbus A220-300 aircraft on the third day of the Paris Air Show. These aircraft will be delivered to the Angola flag carrier from NAC's order book with Airbus in 2025.

The agreement was signed by the TAAG Angola Chief Executive Officer, Eduardo Fairen, along with Mike Jones, Vice President of Global Marketing at NAC.

TAAG Angola Airlines CEO Eduardo Fairen commented, "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."

Norman C.T. Liu, President & CEO of NAC, commented, "We are pleased to welcome TAAG as a new customer to NAC. These aircraft also represent our first two placements from our A220 order book with Airbus."

Deliveries under the long-term dry lease agreements with Aviation Capital Group, Azorra, NAC, and Air Lease Corporation will run from April 2024 to 2025.

TAAG Growth Plans

This is part of the Angola flag carrier growth plan and fleet strategy and comes one day after the airline announced a long-term lease with Azorra for three Airbus A220-300 aircraft during the second day of the Paris Air Show.

In addition, the airline placed an order with Aviation Capital Group (ACG) for four new Airbus A220-300 aircraft during the first day of the Paris Air Show. The four aircraft ordered with ACG are in addition to the airline's current order of six A220s placid with Air Lease Corporation at the 2022 Farnborough Air Show. The seven aircraft ordered this year at the Paris Air Show, plus the six ordered last year will bring TAAG's total commitment for the A220 to 15 aircraft.

The airline formalized the order for nine A220s in three days during the Paris Air Show. Through lessors, DT has a total of 15 aircraft in the order book with Airbus.

The first order is expected to be delivered in April 2024 and will arrive in stages. Once the A220s arrive, they will replace TAAGs aging Boeing 737-700 fleet, with many having an average age of over 16 years.  

With deliveries expected from 2025, the aircraft are expected to operate from TAAG's hub at Luanda's Quatro de Fevereiro Airport (LAD). The A220s will help TAAG expand its route network across Africa.

https://airwaysmag.com/taag-angola-a220-lease-azorra/

Benefits of the A220-300

Compared to its existing Boeing 737-700s, on long-haul routes, the A220 will cut fuel consumption by 25%, and the aircraft's versatility gives it the range to cover intra-African and intercontinental markets with efficiency.

Furthermore, the aircraft delivers 25% lower fuel burn per noise with half the noise footprint and decreased emissions. DT's A220-300s will have the capacity for 142 passengers in a two-class configuration: 12 seats in business class and 130 in economy.

The Angola flag carrier plans to double its fleet over the new three-and-a-half years by acquiring upwards of 28 new aircraft. By 2027 the carrier plans to have a fleet of at least 50 jets. The new aircraft will allow the carrier to add more routes and destinations to its development strategy. In 2022, despite high operating costs, the airline recorded a net profit and planned to build off that. 

Moreover, ​​DT is also awaiting the opening of a new US$5bn airport in Luanda, which is set to open in early 2024 and is sizing its fleet accordingly. Construction on the airport began in 2008 and is designed to handle 10 million international and 5 million domestic travelers. The airport, dubbed the New Luanda International Airport, will have the capacity to handle the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 and include two runways and three terminals.

The new airport will allow domestic and international flights to operate under the same roof, which is not the case at the existing airport. It will enable DT to create Luanda into a profitable modern hub.

Featured image: Azorra