TAAG Angola’s B789 starts commercial services with Johannesburg flight

April 9, 2025 in Business, Companies, Travel & Tourism by Editor

Flag carrier TAAG Angola Airlines on April 5^th inducted its first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner into commercial service with an inaugural flight from Luanda International Airport to Johannesburg O R Tambo. TAAG took delivery of the aircraft, registration D2 – TEQ, the first of four on order, on January 30 this year, aiming to deploy the type on international routes as well as dense regional routes.

Describing the event as marking the beginning of a new era, and an enhanced customer experience, TAAG CEO Nelson Rodrigues de Oliveira, said the “inaugural flight of TAAG’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and the incorporation of this aircraft into our regular flight schedule represent a significant milestone in our operations and a memorable moment for our entry-into-service project team”.

TAAG penned a five-year strategic plan running from 2024, with fleet modernization and a revamped onboard product featuring as key focus areas. The aircraft is configured to 313 seats distributed across 3 cabins – 16 in business class, 21 in premium economy, and 276 in economy class.

The modern jetliner aligns with TAAG’s sustainability agenda as it has a lower noise emissions footprint, better fuel economy and enhanced passenger comfort through a more spacious cabin.

“TAAG reaffirms its commitment to modernization, transformation, and the continuous improvement of the customer experience while strengthening connectivity between Angola and the rest of the world,” the company said in a statement.

The aircraft that was acquired under lease from AerCap as part of an order placed in 2023 which includes the -10, the largest member of the 787 family, joins five 777-300ER, three 777-200ERs, and seven 737NGs.

Meanwhile, TAAG has also signed an agreement with Boeing to purchase carbon credits through an accounting process called book-and-claim. Distributors will through these purchased certificates deliver blended SAF at various airports for use by airlines and other carriers.