Africa’s rising star: TAAG’s CCO on transforming Angola’s national airline

One of the most interesting airlines in Africa—and the southern hemisphere as a whole—right now is TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola, the national carrier of Angola.

Followers of the AeroTime YouTube channel have already gotten a glimpse of what this re-energized African airline is up to in an interview with its Chief Commercial Officer, Miguel Carneiro, during the AviaDev Conference in June 2025.

AeroTime caught up with Carneiro again during the 81st Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in Delhi, India, where he shared new insights into TAAG’s multi-pronged effort to become a leading provider of connectivity within Africa and between Africa and the rest of the world.

Transforming TAAG: culture, brand, and fleet

Carneiro reiterated that the airline’s 2024–2029 strategic plan centers on a comprehensive transformation, encompassing corporate culture and branding, fleet renewal, and network growth.

“Our vision stems from the strategic plan that TAAG is implementing through 2024–2029, through which we seek to position the airline as the go-to player providing intra-Africa connectivity,” explained Carneiro.

A key enabler is the new Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (NBJ) in Luanda, a modern Chinese-built facility that opened in November 2024. TAAG completed the full transfer of its operations there in September 2025, setting the foundation for a more efficient hub-and-spoke model.

Building a regional hub in Luanda

“We are really trying to capitalize on our position,” Carneiro said. “TAAG aims to be a very strong player in the western part of the continent, from the Gulf of Guinea to South Africa. We can build a very efficient hub in Luanda, connecting roughly half a billion passengers within a three-hour flight radius.”

Currently, TAAG serves Johannesburg, Cape Town, Mozambique, Namibia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo-Brazzaville, and Nigeria. “We have the second-biggest market share between Cape Town and Lagos, with 37%. We fly 10 times a week to Cape Town and five times to Lagos,” Carneiro added.

Expanding intercontinental reach

TAAG’s ambitions extend far beyond the African continent. “We are expanding through an intercontinental strategy as well,” Carneiro said. “We fly to Lisbon double daily, and four times per week to São Paulo Guarulhos in Brazil.”

Brazil, a Portuguese-speaking country like Angola, plays a central role in TAAG’s expansion plans. “We are positioning ourselves very aggressively in the South American market, connecting it to Africa,” he continued. The airline has begun operating its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the Luanda–São Paulo route.

TAAG is one of only four airlines directly linking Brazil to Sub-Saharan Africa, alongside Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airways, and LATAM. In 2024, it also joined ALTA, the Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association, to deepen regional partnerships with GOL and LATAM.

Looking north and east

Lisbon is currently TAAG’s only year-round European destination, but new routes are on the horizon.

“We operate double daily flights to Lisbon and seasonal flights to Porto. We’ve discussed reinstating the Madrid route and are looking closely at London and Paris,” Carneiro said. “We are also exploring opportunities in the Far East, particularly Guangzhou in China.”

These long-haul connections will feed into TAAG’s expanding African network, designed around a hub-and-spoke system centered in Luanda. “We’re prioritizing key tier-one markets, and later tier-two cities such as Lubumbashi and Goma,” he said.

A modern, efficient fleet

To power this growth, TAAG is relying on its new Airbus A220s. As of October 2025, three of the 15 ordered A220-300s are in service, configured with 137 seats across two classes.

“That’s where the A220 is strong,” said Carneiro. “It’s cost-effective, comfortable, and pilots love its performance.”

The airline is transitioning to a simplified two-type fleet: Airbus A220s for short-haul routes and Boeing 787s for long-haul operations. “We are phasing out the 777s,” Carneiro confirmed.

While the A220’s Pratt & Whitney engines have faced reliability issues elsewhere, Carneiro said TAAG remains confident: “We’ll monitor performance and decide on the best long-term option.”

Digital transformation and passenger experience

TAAG is also focusing on improving its digital and onboard experience.

“Our digital sales were in the low teens. We redesigned our website with more user-friendly features and new payment options,” Carneiro said. “The goal is to shift steadily from GDS to direct sales, which is more efficient and less costly.”

Onboard, TAAG is rethinking its cabin classes. “We used to have three classes—First, Business, and Economy—and we’ll keep three, but differently: Business, Premium Economy, and Economy,” Carneiro explained, adding that a Premium Economy option could be introduced on narrowbody aircraft too.

The airline’s refreshed brand identity, unveiled in 2023, reflects this new spirit. “It’s about keeping the historic traits of TAAG while giving it a fresher, younger look,” he said.

New routes and future ambitions

TAAG plans to launch new destinations in Africa, including Nairobi, Abidjan, Accra, and Libreville, while boosting frequencies to South Africa, Nigeria, and Mozambique.

For now, alliance membership is not on the table. “Not in the immediate short term,” Carneiro said. “We still have room to grow independently but will keep options open.”

Perhaps the most ambitious project yet is TAAG’s plan to enter the US market.

“Yeah, we are looking at it, we are discussing with our civil aviation authority for them to get approvals from the FAA and the DOT. And obviously, once that’s done, we as an airline, look forward to start flying to the US. We’re currently looking at different potential entry points, Houston, Miami, New York. We’re trying to see which one would work the best, not specifically just for Angola, but for the region overall. So that we can feed traffic from regional countries into Luanda and then connect into the US. Imagine, for example, South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, the DRC…we could provide a great, great option for all of those passengers!” he concluded. The post Africa’s rising star: TAAG’s CCO on transforming Angola’s national airline appeared first on AeroTime.

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