EMIRATES Airlines has added two weekly flights between Dubai and the Angolan capital of Luanda, increasing its service between the two destinations to five times a week, starting July 1, reports New York's Air Cargo World
EMIRATES Airlines has added two weekly flights between Dubai and the Angolan capital of Luanda, increasing its service between the two destinations to five times a week, starting July 1, reports New York's Air Cargo World. Emirates will then increase to daily service, starting in winter. The carrier will employ a 777-300ER aircraft on the route, which will provide 23 tonnes of belly cargo capacity per flight.
The airline has operated a Dubai-Angola route since 2009 - at the time, on an A330-200 aircraft - increasing the frequency to seven times per week.
However, in 2017, Emirates reduced the service to three times a week, but company vice president Orhan Abbas said reinstating the Luanda flights 'will benefit trade links, boost investment and contribute to the economy by promoting business and supporting Angola's supply chain.'
The southwestern African nation has been in economic recovery since its 27-year civil war ended in 2002, stimulated by an abundance of oil and gas resources, but the drop in oil prices in 2014 deflated the momentum of growth.
Government initiatives launched early this year aim to diversify the economy and reduce its dependence on revenue from oil exports.
