TAAG Eyes Resuming EU Flights In June

Angolan state-owned airline TAAG, barred from flying to the European Union since 2007, hopes to resume those flights in June, a member of the airline's managing commission said on Wednesday.

Angola's government recently fired TAAG's board and created a special commission to help restructure the airline and make it comply with international safety standards.

The carrier has suffered record losses since it was banned from the EU two years ago, the same year one of its planes crashed in Angola, killing six people on board.

"We are making an effort and working in all the issues that are non-compliant with good international practices," said Rui Carreira in comments broadcast over state-owned Radio Nacional de Angola.

"There will be a new EU inspection in May... and our goal is for TAAG to resume flights to the EU in June."

The oil-rich nation currently rents planes from South African Airways to fly to the EU. TAAG posted a USD$70 million loss in 2008.

Some European airlines such as Lufthansa, Portugal's TAP, Brussels Air, British Airways and Air France-KLM have expressed interest in forging partnerships with the Angolan carrier, the country's transport minister Augusto Tomas recently said.

He did not provide details on the proposed partnerships.