■ SÃO TOMÉ & PRÍNCIPE: Newly installed São Tomé Int'l runway lights sabotaged twice; treachery suspected.

Following their installation at the airport in July, the São Toméan airport management company (Empresa Nacional de Aeroportos e Segurança Aérea - ENASA) has reported that the runway lighting system in place along São Tomé International Airport's runway 11/29 has been vandalized twice in the last two weeks, leading to allegations of sabotage.

► CHINA: TAAG increases Luanda - Beijing frequencies to 2x weekly; a 3rd due in 2014.

Angolan flag carrier TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT) has at long last added a second weekly frequency to its Luanda - Beijing, China route. The added Friday flight became effective September 21 and will be followed by an additional third frequency next year.

■ ANGOLA: Menongue International Airport to come online before 2014 - Ceitas.

Manuel Ceitas, the CEO of Angola's airport and air traffic authority (Empresa Nacional de Aeroportos e Navegação Aérea - ENANA), says that Comandante Kuenha International Airport, situated in the near-central Angolan town of Menongue in Cuando Cubango Province, could become operational before the end of this year given that its rehabilitation and expansion works are almost complete after nearly 6 years of work.

■ ANGOLA: Uíge Airport to be completed shortly, operations to tentatively resume by year-end.

Uíge Airport, situated in Uige, the capital city of its namesake province in northwestern Angola, could be inaugurated later this year following the successful completion of renovation and expansion works. Speaking to ANGOP, the CEO of Angola's airport and air traffic authority (Empresa Nacional de Aeroportos e Navegação Aérea - ENANA), Mr Manuel Ceitas, said the facility will also offer night-time operations given the recent installation of runway lighting.

■ ANGOLA: Namibe Airport to resume operations from September 6.

Angola's airport and air traffic authority Empresa Nacional de Aeroportos e Navegação Aérea (ENANA) is on track to complete USD90million in upgrades to Yuri Gagarin International Airport in the south-western Angolan port of Namibe. According to the governor of Namibe province, Rui Falcão, operations are scheduled to resume with effect from September 6. Angolan carrier TAAG (DT) had been the airport's sole dedicated carrier prior to the start of construction.

■ ANGOLA: Government takes first legal steps in bringing its aviation bodies up to ICAO standards.

Angola's parliament has introduced the first legislation aimed at bringing its Aviation Law up to international and ICAO standard with the separation of the yet-to-be-named Accident's investigations bureau from the country's civil aviation authority (Instituto Nacional da Aviação Civil - INAVIC) which currently falls under the Angolan Ministry of Transport. 

► ANGOLA: TAAG to serve either London or Paris from June/July 2014 - Carreira.

TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT) will launch flights to either London or Paris CDG during the second half of 2014, the airline's director of operations, Mr. Rui Carreira, has disclosed. The route's launch, however, will hinge upon the delivery of a new Boeing 777-300ER, due in May 2014, he added.

► SOUTH AFRICA: TAAG to tentatively switch Johannesburg from the 777-200ER to the -300ER from July.

TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT) is to tentatively increase capacity on its 4 weekly Luanda – Johannesburg route with effect from 05JUL13. During the month of July, the 777-300ER will replace the -200ER on 3 out of 4 weekly flights. Thereafter, all 4 weekly flights will be operated using a -300ER model from 04AUG13.

■ ANGOLA: TAAG renews its IOSA certificate until May 2015.

Following an audit conducted between January 27-31 of this year, TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT), the Angolan national carrier, has had its IATA Operational Safety Audity certificate renewed until May 22, 2015, TAAG Quality director, Joaquim Fortes, has announced. 

■ ANGOLA: Zimbabwe, Angola renew BASA; TAAG to get rights between Lusaka and Harare?

Following negotiations between the two countries, Angola and Zimbabwe have signed a Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) which is a revision of that signed in 2005. Under the agreement, TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT), the Angolan national carrier and the only airline currently operating flights between Luanda and Harare, will have provision for 4 weekly frequencies and vice versa.

► ANGOLA: Airbus bemoans TAAG's staunch loyalty to Boeing, claiming B777 deal price was excessive.

Reports out of Angola claim that attempts by European aircraft manufacturer EADS, the parent company of Airbus SAS, to get their foot into the Angolan market via TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT), have been rebuffed outright.

► ANGOLA: More foreign carriers making a beeline to Luanda's door as calls for higher route frequencies grow louder.

RAM - Royal Air Maroc (AT) and Ethiopian Airlines (ET) have joined a growing chorus of carriers servicing the Angolan capital, Luanda, in asking the Instituto Nacional da Aviação Civil (the National Institute of Civil Aviation - INAVIC) to increase their frequencies on the lucrative route. 

►► CUBA: TAAG increases Luanda - Havana, Beijing frequencies from late March.

[UPDATE 8 APRIL] Angolan flag carrier TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT), is to increase its frequencies from its Luanda, Angola hub to Havana, Cuba and Beijing, China effective 31 March.

► ANGOLA: TAAG announces changes to Cabinda, Catumbela and Ondjiva flights.

In continuation of our previous post regarding TAAG Angolan Airlines (DT)'s new Northern Summer 2013 schedule, the Angolan flag carrier has announced variations to its domestic timetable effective 31 March.

■ DUBAI: Increase TAAG's flights to Dubai says UAE Foreign Minister.

The United Arab Emirates wants TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT) to boost its flights between Dubai and Luanda claiming that the increase would help stimulate trade.

■ ANGOLA: Plans for TAAG civil aviation academy in the pipeline: Carreira.

At a press conference held in Luanda last week to update the public on the airline's restructuring and reorientation program, Rui Carriera, the Executive Director of TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT), said the Angolan flag carrier intends to make staff training and skill development a priority in the coming years through the opening of a civil aviation academy. 

► SOUTH AFRICA: TAAG Angolan Airlines goes 3x weekly to Cape Town from April.

From 1 April, TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT), Angola's national carrier, is to boost its Luanda - Cape Town frequency from twice weekly to 3x weekly, with the addition of a Wednesday flight. Ops are flown with a Boeing 737-700.

► ANGOLA: TAAG adjusts Brazil, Portugal operations from February to March.

TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT), Angola's national carrier, will from 27FEB13 to 30MAR13 adjust its operations, which will see its Brazil service operated with Boeing 777-200ER aircraft while Lisbon switches to an all-Boeing 777-300ER operation. 

► ANGOLA: TAAG set to order 3 additional 777-300ERs for delivery from 2019 onwards.

On the back of an 11% increase in passenger numbers posted for 2012, TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT), Angola's national carrier, is to purchase an additional three Boeing 777-300ERs due for delivery from 2019/2020.

■ ANGOLA: TAAG's operating revenue up $120m in 2012 but lack of fiscal control remains a grave worry.

TAAG Linhas Aéreas de Angola (DT), Angola's national carrier, registered a growth in passenger traffic of 11% for the year ending 2012, with 1.1million passengers flown, the airline said in a statement.