Turkish Airlines permanently cancels Luanda flight route

Turkish Airlines has permanently removed Luanda from its future flight schedules, marking a significant withdrawal from the Angolan capital. The Istanbul-based carrier had previously suspended the route, which operated as a triangular service through Kinshasa, citing fuel costs. The removal of the Luanda service is part of a broader reduction in the airline’s African network, which also includes the removal of routes to Juba, Kinshasa, Libreville, and Lusaka.

The decision highlights the ongoing struggles of the Dr António Agostinho Neto International Airport to function as a regional aviation hub. Since its inauguration in 2023, the facility—built by the Chinese state-owned company AVIC—has seen passenger volumes far below its designed annual capacity of 15 million. Data from the airport’s temporary operator indicates that the facility handled approximately 756,028 passengers throughout 2025.

Turkish Airlines is not the only carrier to scale back operations in Luanda. Brussels Airlines ended its service in early 2025 as part of a Lufthansa Group restructuring, and Iberia has maintained a suspension of its direct flights to the city since 2016.