TAAG Angola Airlines, Angola’s flag carrier, has taken delivery of its first Airbus A220-300 from the Airbus Mirabel site, in Canada.
A statement by the media consultant to the aircraft manufacturing company in Nigeria, said that the airplane was on lease from Air Lease Corporation (ALC).
The statement hinted that the addition of the A220 to the fleet of the state-owned airline was a further step in its modernisation and growth path, which includes a more versatile fleet.
According to the statement, the aircraft livery features the PALANCA (black antelope considered a national symbol) on the plane’s tail and winglets, as well the colour pattern inspired by Angola’s traditional fabric named Samakaka.
TAAG Angola has also committed to Airbus Flight Hour Services for material management solutions and Skywise Health Monitoring.
These services enable a smooth entry-into-services thanks to a dedicated pool of parts, component engineering and repair services worldwide.
The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market.
TAAG’s A220 would have a 137 passengers’ total capacity; 12 in business class and 125 in economy class.
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With the widest economy seats of any single-aisle aircraft, large windows, highest ceilings in its class and other innovative cabin features, the A220 would contribute to offer a superior flying experience to TAAG passengers and customers on local and regional flights, the statement said.
The aircraft can fly non-stop up to 3,600 nautical miles or 6,700 kilometres, making the A220 the ideal solution to facilitate TAAG Angola Airlines’ gradual expansion.
The A220, a new-generation aircraft, is also part of the solution to help TAAG reach its sustainability ambitions, introducing greater efficiency with 25 per cent lower fuel burn and CO2 emissions per seat compared to previous generation aircraft and around 40 per cent lower NOx emissions than industry standards.
As with all Airbus aircraft, the A220 is already able to operate with up to 50 per cent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
Airbus aims for all its aircraft to be capable of operating with up to 100 per cent SAF by 2030.
As of the end of August 2024, around 30 customers have ordered more than 910 A220 aircraft confirming its leading position in the small single-aisle market.
Around 355 A220s are currently flying on more than 1,500 routes and more than 460 destinations worldwide.
To date, more than 100 million passengers have flown on the A220.
