TAAG Angola Airlines has identified South Africa as a key strategic market for the airline’s growing cargo business development. With the growing demand for cargo services, the national airline of Angola aims to expand its operations and benefit from South Africa’s central location in the continent. Sajid Khan, head of freight, stated that the trend is to increase the volume of cargo and the demand for their services.
TAAG Angola Airlines transported around 1632 tons of various goods from Johannesburg to different parts of the world in 2022.
“In 2022 we transported around 1,632 tons of various goods from Johannesburg to different parts of the world and the trend is to increase the volume of cargo and the demand for our services,” comments Sajid Khan.
The airline is expected to grow its cargo business in the coming years. South Africa is a focal point for cargo pick-up and drop-off from across the continent, and TAAG is a key distributor connecting intra-African markets and intercontinental cargo hubs.
The airline’s cargo network connects multiple countries and regions, including Mozambique, Sao Tome, Namibia, Angola, Nigeria, South Africa, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Brazil, and Cuba. It is currently the only operator in the southern hemisphere to connect Africa with South America. The airline is taking active steps to re-launch routes to and from China to offer long-haul links from Asia, Africa, and South America, with Angola as a stopover.
The airline’s cargo operations are expected to grow exponentially once Angola’s new state-of-the-art international airport goes live in 2024. The new airport cargo infrastructure is projected to handle 50,000 tons per year and 15,000,000 passengers per year, providing an opportunity to leverage connectivity within the Africa Austral region.
Eduardo Fairen, CEO of TAAG, stated that the cargo segment is strategic for the airline’s sustainability. Thus, he sees positive synergies and benefits for the business regarding the New Luanda International Airport, which will go live in the next few years.
The airline’s cargo director, deputy director, and division manager attended Air Cargo Africa from 21 to 23 February in Johannesburg, South Africa. The exhibition provided an opportunity for the airline to network with African cargo industry leaders and key strategic partners, learn about industry trends, and highlight TAAG’s cargo destinations to a global audience.
