On November 1, 2025, at 14:30 local time in Luanda, Angola, Emirates Flight EK793 (a Boeing 777 carrying 360 passengers) landed smoothly at Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (IATA code: NBJ), marking the full operation of international flights at the airport.

This is another significant milestone following the relocation of TAAG Angola Airlines on October 19th, marking the entry of Angola's aviation industry into a new era centered around the international hub of the new airport.

The historic handover of the old and new airports

At 23:50 on October 18, 2025, the last international flight DT652 of TAAG Angola Airlines, which took off from Luanda's "April 4th International Airport" (opened in 1954), successfully lifted off, marking the end of the 71-year operation of this old airport.

Just a few hours later, at 3:30 a.m. on October 19th, the new airport welcomed its first regional flight - flight DT578 from Johannesburg, South Africa. Subsequently, flights from Lagos, Nigeria (with 68 passengers), Lisbon, Portugal (with 279 passengers), and Nairobi, Kenya (with 83 passengers) arrived one after another, officially kicking off the international operations of the new airport.

On November 1st, Emirates flight EK793 departed from Terminal 3 of Dubai International Airport at 09:45 and arrived at the new airport in Angola at 14:30, marking the first Middle Eastern international airline to operate there. The flight is operated by a Boeing 777 aircraft and runs five round trips per week, further strengthening the aviation links between Angola and the Middle East, Asia and Europe.

At present, apart from TAAG and Emirates, international airlines such as Ethiopian Airlines, TAP Air Portugal, Air France, Royal Air Maroc, and South African Airlink are gradually completing their relocation preparations. It is expected that they will all be fully operational by the end of 2025.

The successful practice of AVIC KDN

As a key participant in the EPC general contracting of the AIAAN project, China Aviation Kaidian Airport Engineering Co., Ltd. has been involved in the project since 2017, mainly responsible for and implementing the entire process tasks including engineering design, equipment procurement, construction, system integration, commissioning and delivery, as well as technical training. The project covers multiple professional fields such as the terminal building, flight area, fuel supply project, communication and power supply systems, and the comprehensive air traffic control weak current information system. It is one of the landmark EPC projects that AVIC-KDN has mainly participated in and implemented overseas.

During the project construction process, the team overcame difficulties such as tight schedules, the impact of the pandemic, and the poor flow of cross-border logistics. They adhered to the goal of "high-standard construction and high-quality performance", strictly followed the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and fully implemented the integrated execution of design, construction, commissioning and delivery.

Commercial facilities and operational experience

With the simultaneous progress of the transfer of international flights, the commercial and duty-free zones in the airport terminal building have been fully put into use. The commercial space and electromechanical systems reserved by AVIC Kaidian in the EPC stage have provided favorable conditions for subsequent business recruitment. Currently, many duty-free shops, brand retail stores and catering service facilities have officially opened for business, offering passengers an integrated experience of shopping, dining and leisure.

The spacious and bright commercial corridor and modern interior design reflect the systematic thinking of "integrated construction and operation" and the high-quality delivery standards.

On the first day of the transfer, the heartwarming scenes of passengers reuniting with their friends and relatives in the arrival hall became a vivid footnote to the official opening of the new airport. The bright and spacious arrival hall and the orderly immigration channels jointly captured this historic moment.

Hub Function and Regional Development

After the full operation of the airport, the operational capacity of the capital airport in Angola has been significantly enhanced, and it has also driven the development of surrounding transportation, municipal facilities, commercial supporting facilities and industrial parks. The new airport is equipped with a complete ground transportation hub, parking system and intelligent information platform, laying a solid foundation for Angola to build a regional aviation hub.

At present, the daily flight operations at the António de Agostinho Neto International Airport (NBJ) are running smoothly. TAAG Airlines' domestic flights include multiple routes such as NBJ-Roanda, NBJ-Luanda, and NBJ-Cabinda; international flights cover direct flights to Johannesburg, Lisbon, Nairobi, São Paulo, and Dubai. The operational support has fully kept up with the pace of international transfer.

Future Outlook

As more international airlines gradually shift their operations, Dr. Agostinho Neto International Airport in Angola will become an important gateway hub connecting Africa, the Middle East, Europe and South America.

AVIC-KDN Airport Engineering Co., Ltd. will continue to uphold the corporate mission of "Chinese Quality, Global Trust", and with its professional EPC general contracting strength and innovative smart airport solutions, contribute Chinese power to the high-quality development of civil aviation in Angola and even Africa.