• TAAG launches direct Abidjan–Luanda route with three weekly flights

• New link aims to boost trade, mobility, and regional connectivity

• Route strengthens Angola’s position as a regional aviation hub

TAAG Angola Airlines on April 6 launched its first direct flight between Côte d’Ivoire and Angola. This opens a new route connecting Bom Jesus, near Luanda, to Abidjan, according to state media outlet Angop.

The new service is designed to improve travel, trade, and cooperation between the two countries while expanding TAAG’s network across Africa.

The route will operate three times a week—on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays—with a direct flight lasting about four hours. TAAG plans to deploy its Airbus A220-300 aircraft on the route, configured to carry 137 passengers, including 12 in business class and 125 in economy.

Beyond point-to-point travel, the connection gives passengers from Côte d’Ivoire easier access to TAAG’s broader international network via Luanda, including destinations such as Lisbon, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and São Paulo.

“With this route, TAAG is advancing its expansion strategy across the continent and reinforcing Angola’s role as a strategic regional hub,” said Clóvis Rosa, the airline’s chairman, as quoted by Angop.

The launch follows commitments made in June 2025, when Côte d’Ivoire and Angola agreed to establish a direct air link. That agreement was formalized by Côte d’Ivoire’s minister of commerce and industry, Souleymane Diarrassouba, and Angola’s transport minister, Ricardo Viegas D’Abreu, as part of a broader effort to deepen bilateral cooperation.

Relations between the two countries have strengthened in recent years. In June 2024, they signed 14 cooperation agreements covering key sectors including agriculture, mining, hydrocarbons, information and communication technology, and healthcare. The framework is intended to support economic diversification and expand intra-African trade, particularly under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Lydie Mobio