TAAG Angola Airlines (DT, Luanda 4 De Fevereiro) has announced the accelerated delivery on September 30 of its second B787-9, D2-TER (msn 66913), two years ahead of schedule, following negotiations with Boeing.

In a statement, the airline said the 345-seater whitetail arrived in an economy and premium economy configuration, aligned with the manufacturer’s immediate availability, but with the possibility of future reconfiguration.

The new B787-9 joins its sister ship, D2-TEQ (msn 66877), which is already operating the Luanda 4 De Fevereiro-São Paulo Guarulhos route. Its delivery, on a sale-lease-back agreement from AerCap, was delayed from December 2024 until January 29, 2025.

TAAG ordered four B787s - two B787-9s and two B787-10s - as whitetails from Boeing in October 2023, to be reconfigured to TAAG's specifications.

The first larger B787-10 was initially scheduled for February 2025 and then for July-August. The airline has not confirmed new delivery dates. The B787s will replace TAAG's current fleet of three B777-200ERs and five B777-300ERs.

The new widebodies form part of a fleet modernisation programme that has also seen TAAG take delivery of its third A220-300 in June 2025. A fourth is expected in late 2025, part of a 15-unit order to serve the airline’s growing regional footprint.

State backing

Meanwhile, Angola’s President João Lourenço has authorised another USD200 million sovereign guarantee to finance TAAG’s purchase of two whitetail B787s and a spare engine, the Valour Econômico newspaper reported saying it has seen a copy of the presidential order. The financing will be arranged through JP Morgan and Afreximbank, with the guarantee disbursed in stages and available after the first delivery. TAAG will pay a 1% fee for the guarantee.

In January 2025, the Angolan government had already approved a USD110 million state guarantee to support TAAG’s advance payments for three B787s.

In July 2035, TAAG announced it had secured about USD297 million in financing from the US Export-Import Bank (EXIM Bank) to acquire B787-10s and General Electric engines.

Financial doubts

The airline has reported a net loss of AOA134.2 billion kwanzas (USD146.6 million) for 2024, worsening from a AOA90.1 billion (USD98.4 million) loss in 2023, with negative equity of AOA21.4 billion (USD23.3 million), according to Angola’s Public Business Sector Report for TAAG for the year ending December 31, 2024, published by the Institute of Asset Management and State Holdings (Instituto de Gestão de Activos e Participações do Estado - IGAPE).

While TAAG grew its revenue to AOA373.4 billion (USD408 million), up 35% year-on-year mainly due to currency effects and despite carrying fewer passengers, it posted deeper losses due to rising operating and financing costs, a 12% currency depreciation, and structural inefficiencies, leaving it dependent on state backing and raising doubts about its financial sustainability.

The airline’s costs rose sharply, including AOA83 billion (USD90.6 million) in staff expenses and AOA344.5 billion (USD376.4 million) in operating costs, driven by a 12% currency devaluation.

Total assets stood at AOA815.1 billion (USD890.5 million), but current liabilities exceeded current assets by AOA181 billion (USD198 million), raising liquidity concerns. Auditor KPMG approved the accounts with reservations, citing inventory discrepancies and a "going concern" risk given persistent losses and negative equity.

ch-aviation has asked TAAG for comment.

Move to new airport

Meanwhile, TAAG announced the full transfer of its flight operations to Luanda Dr António Agostinho Neto on October 19, 2025, completing a phased transition process. From that date, all departing and arriving flights concerning Lisbon, São Paulo Guarulhos, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo, Cape Town International, Lagos, Windhoek International, São Tome, Maputo, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta, and seasonal routes such as to Porto and Havana International will be operated exclusively from the new airport. Domestic connections and flights to/from Brazzaville and Kinshasa N'Djili already operate from there.

TAAG said it will provide a shuttle service between Luanda 4 De Fevereiro and Dr António Agostinho Neto to accommodate transit passengers whose itineraries involve airlines not yet based at the new airport.