• TAAG and Standard Bank launched a credit-based ticket payment solution for domestic and international flights.
• The scheme allows Standard Bank clients to prefinance travel for up to six months without interest.
• High taxes and operating costs continue to limit air travel affordability despite regional reform pledges.

Angola’s national airline TAAG announced a partnership with Standard Bank to allow passengers to purchase airline tickets on credit for domestic and international flights. The initiative aims to expand access to air transport for Angolans while strengthening the country’s air connectivity.

The service targets Standard Bank customers and relies on a bank prefinancing mechanism for travel expenses. The financing can extend for up to six months and carries no interest charges. The model seeks to address the main constraint on air transport development in Africa, namely the high cost of airline tickets.

According to the African Airlines Association, airfare levels make air travel largely inaccessible to low-income populations. The association attributes these prices mainly to the weight of airport taxes and charges. Airlines also pass on high operating costs, including maintenance, fuel, and insurance, to passengers.

In West Africa, taxes and fees can account for up to 50% of the final ticket price. To address this issue, the Economic Community of West African States decided to remove taxes not directly linked to air transport and apply a 25% reduction in passenger and security charges. According to the bloc’s parliamentary experts, effective implementation could reduce ticket prices by up to 40% and stimulate demand by 20% to 30%.

However, the reform, which authorities planned to implement from January 1, 2026, has struggled to materialize. An analysis of fare trends on Google Flights since December 2025 showed only seasonal variations, with no significant decline in line with ECOWAS projections.

For example, an Air Côte d’Ivoire ticket on the Cotonou–Abidjan route sold for 257,000 CFA francs, or about $458.5, around one month earlier. The same ticket sold for 255,000 CFA francs on January 21, 2026.

Several observers said the situation reflected a lack of political will. Governments in the region have delayed adopting the regulatory texts required to effectively remove the targeted taxes and charges. These delays continue to postpone the expected improvement in air travel affordability.

This article was initially published in French by Henoc Dossa

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum