TAAG Gets EASA Nod to Fly 787-9 Dreamliner to Europe
Angola’s flag carrier TAAG is taking a significant step toward transforming its flagship European service, after winning regulatory clearance to fly its newest wide-body jets into the continent, a green light that also sets the stage for an imminent return to China and a possible US debut.
Europe’s top aviation regulator, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, has authorised TAAG Angola Airlines to operate its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on commercial services to European airspace, as part of the standard certification and technical oversight process applicable to airlines flying to destinations within the European Union. The approval unlocks a new chapter for the Luanda-based carrier, formally known as Transportes Aéreos Angolanos, as it pushes ahead with one of the most ambitious fleet renewal programmes undertaken by an African airline in recent years.
TAAG Chairman Clóvis Rosa said the authorisation “further reinforces the airline’s credibility among international authorities, our partners, and our customers.”
“EASA’s authorisation for the operation of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner in Europe represents an important recognition of the technical, operational, and regulatory compliance work that TAAG has been carrying out,” Rosa said.
The Luanda-based carrier currently runs double-daily flights between Luanda and Lisbon using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The 787 Dreamliners will replace the older 777s on those flights to Portugal. The Luanda-Lisbon corridor is TAAG’s only year-round European service and one of the busiest aviation links between Africa and the continent, connecting Angola’s business community, government delegations and its substantial diaspora population in Portugal.
TAAG’s Dreamliner journey began at the Dubai Airshow in 2023, when the carrier committed to ordering two 787-9s and two 787-10s through sale-and-leaseback arrangements. Lessor AerCap signed a sale-and-leaseback agreement for one new 787-9 on December 27, 2024, with delivery the following month.
“We are pleased to welcome TAAG Angola Airlines as a new customer to AerCap and particularly pleased to be the first lessor to introduce the 787 to the airline,” AerCap Chief Executive Officer Aengus Kelly said at the time, adding that the aircraft would support fleet modernisation and help the airline expand across Africa, Europe and Asia “with one of the most fuel-efficient widebody aircraft on the market.”
TAAG’s first 787-9, which arrived in Luanda just ahead of Angola’s Liberation Day on February 4, marked nearly 50 years since the delivery of the airline’s very first aircraft, a Boeing 737-200. A second 787-9 followed via lessor Avolon, delivered in September 2025, while the two larger 787-10 variants arrived in November and made their commercial debut on the Luanda-São Paulo route on November 30.
Notably, TAAG’s two 787-9 airframes were initially intended for MIAT Mongolian Airlines and TUI Airways but were not taken up by either carrier. The airline also reportedly secured around $297 million in US Export-Import Bank financing for its two 787-10 aircraft and engines.
TAAG’s current fleet includes five Boeing 777-300ERs, two Boeing 787-10s, two Boeing 787-9s, six Airbus A220-300s, six DHC-8-400s, five Boeing 737-700s, and a Boeing 737-800SF. The EASA approval, however, applies only to the 787-9 variant.
The two 787-9s carry different cabin configurations. D2-TEQ seats 313 passengers across business, premium economy and economy classes, featuring 16 business-class seats in a 1-2-1 layout, 21 premium economy seats and 276 economy seats. The second aircraft, D2-TER, seats up to 345 passengers across two cabins, 63 premium economy seats and 282 economy seats, with no business-class cabin. The carrier’s two 787-10s each seat 367 passengers, with 24 business-class seats and 343 economy seats.
Beyond Europe, TAAG’s expansion plans are accelerating on multiple fronts. The airline will become one of only seven carriers operating direct flights between Africa and China, with one weekly flight to Guangzhou commencing on June 23, 2026, operated by the 787-9. The Guangzhou route marks TAAG’s return to China after a suspension dating to the pre-pandemic period.
The airline also has ambitions to fly the 787 to the United States, eyeing a connection with Houston sometime in 2027, a move that would require further regulatory approvals before any services could begin.
“The delivery of the 787-9 is a pivotal step in our strategy to modernize TAAG Angola Airlines’ fleet,” said the carrier’s CEO, Nelson Pedro Rodrigues de Oliveira. “This airplane brings the efficiency and versatility we need to meet growing market demands, replace our aging widebody fleet, and deliver a world-class experience to our passengers.”
By: Andrews Kwesi Yeboah