Emirates increases frequency between Dubai, Angola

Emirates Airlines has added two weekly flights between Dubai and Luanda, the capital of Angola, increasing its service between the two destinations to five times per week, starting July 1, and then ramping up 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, due to “resource optimization needs.”

Emirates senior vice president of commercial operations for Africa, Orhan Abbas, said that reinstating the Luanda flights “will benefit trade links, boost investment and will 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.

The daily flight EK793 will depart from Dubai at 09:55 and arrive in Luanda at 02:40. The return flight EK794 departs from Luanda at 18:15 and arrives in Dubai at 05:00 the following day. For the daily service, starting in winter, flight EK793 will depart Dubai at 10:10 and arrive in Luanda at 15:10. The return flight EK794 will depart Luanda at 18:15 and arrive in Dubai at 04:55 the following day.