TAAG Angola Airlines has
appointed a new gm for
Southern Africa as well
as additions to its South
African office, with a view
to growing volumes out of
this market.
In the South African
market, the airline is
positioning its flights to
Portugal, Brazil, and Cuba.
TAAG’s Rio flights via its
hub in Luanda have a
journey time of 17h25,
including transit.
The airline is also
looking at running a sale
on its Cuba flights shortly.
The flights have been
unbookable due to GDS
system constraints, which
will be sorted out shortly.
Two months into the
job, Gregory Epps, gm
Southern Africa, points
out that the airline
narrowed its loss last
year and has the will of
the Angolan government.
“We are re-laying the
foundations,” says
Gregory, who hails from
Emirates. He adds
that there is a strong
commercial drive within
the airline.
Justin Glanville, who
headed up pricing at
Etihad SA, then moved
to fastjet, will head up
pricing.
Eugene Stander,
ex-Mango, has been
appointed financial
controller and Nikki
Samuels, who previously
worked with Qatar Airways,
has been appointed sales
manager in South Africa.
The airline operates a
fleet of eight Boeing 777s
and five Boeing 737s.
Its connections through
Luanda are a maximum of
three hours, meaning that
a transit visa or yellow
fever inoculation are not
required for connecting
travellers.
According to Gregory, the
relationship with the trade
is seen as pivotal. “We
need them; they don’t
need us,” he says.
