South African Airways enters into codeshare agreement with TAAG Angola Airlines

January 11, 2018. South African Airways (SAA) has announced a codeshare agreement with TAAG Angola Airlines. The agreement will come into force from January 11, 2018. SAA will codeshare with TAAG on their direct services between Johannesburg and Luanda; and between Cape Town and Luanda.

In return, TAAG Angola Airlines will codeshare with SAA on its direct services between Johannesburg and Luanda and will include Johannesburg and Harare, Johannesburg and Lusaka, and Johannesburg and Hong Kong in the near future. The agreement enables SAA to offer flights with the SA code on flights operated by TAAG, and TAAG will in turn be able to offer flights with the DT code on flights operated by SAA.

SAA is progressively implementing its five year Corporate Plan aimed at achieving and maintaining financial sustainability in the shortest time possible. SAA’s Alliance Strategy supports the Network Strategy by strengthening its position in sub-Saharan Africa through forming new partnerships, such as this one. 

SAA and TAAG formed an interline relationship in 1996, allowing the acceptance of each other’s customers and access to each other’s network. Interline agreements between airlines facilitate travel for customers who fly on more than one airline to reach their destination. 

The relationship expanded into a commercial partnership in 2007 with SAA operating the flights for TAAG between Luanda and Lisbon, in Portugal. At the time, SAA operated the flights with its own aircraft and crew on behalf of TAAG. 

“We value our relationship with TAAG and look forward to strengthening this partnership and creating a seamless travel experience for our customers travelling to various destinations on the continents of Africa and Asia. This new code-share will enable customers to connect seamlessly from our domestic services through to Angola and gives customers the opportunity of also flying with TAAG to Angola,” says Tlali Tlali, SAA Spokesperson. SAA currently serves the Angola market four times per week. 

“The codeshare relationship between TAAG Angola Airlines and SAA is a strong partnership and we are extremely pleased to work together in developing our route networks further, for the benefit of all our customers. We are confident that this code-share opportunity will bring our countries closer together and contribute to the development of our respective economies and tourism industries,” said William Boulter, TAAG chief commercial officer.