Cabo Verde Airline, the national carrier of the Cape Verde Islands, will commence direct flights from Lagos, Nigeria to Cape Verde on December 9, 2019.
This was made known at a briefing to officially launch the airline in the country. The airline’s Boeing 757-200 will fly five times a week from the Lagos International Airport to its hub in Sal, Cape Verde.
Jens Bjarnason, CEO and President, Cabo Airlines said: “We are excited to add the most populous country in Africa as one of our destinations. Nigeria has a vibrant travel sector and we look forward to servicing our customers and connecting them to Cape Verde and beyond, seamlessly. “Our focus is to be an international airline connecting people between four continents; North, South America, Europe and Africa. The location of Cape Verde is very strategic in connecting the different continents and people in Nigeria will have a broader offering.
“We will commence operations on the Lagos – Sal, Cape Verde route from December 9, 2019 with flights on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Other destinations include Washington DC, Boston, Lisbon, Milan, Rome, Paris, Luanda, Dakar and several cities in Brazil – Recife, Porto Alegre, Salvador and Fortaleza.
“Passengers can look forward to comfort, quality and a memorable travel experience on our aircraft which have 161 economy class seats and 22 executive morabeza premium class seats. Our unique selling point is that where for instance, others spend one hour to get to, we spend a shorter time because of our strategic position.
“The airline was privatised in 2019. Loftleidir Cabo Verde owns 51 percent while the state of Cape Verde owns 49 percent. Since we took ownership of the airline, we have tried to rebrand it.
Since November 2009 it has been an active member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). “It was established in 1958, as a public enterprise when it absorbed the then called Aero Club of Cabo Verde. As an international operator, Cabo Verde Airlines has been implementing regularly the ever more demanding requirements in the area of aeronautical security, imposed not only by the European Union but also by the United States of America. In February of 2009, the company acquired its registry in the IOSA program of IATA. In May 2018, TACV changed its name to Cabo Verde Airlines. It is certified as IOSA Operator, the IATA Operational Safety Audit Program.”