Turkish Airlines Drops Luanda Amid Angola Airport Underperformance

Turkish Airlines has permanently cancelled its Luanda service, along with four other African routes, marking the latest international carrier to leave the Angolan capital since the new airport opened in 2023. The new airport, designed to handle 15 million passengers a year, recorded fewer than 800,000 arrivals and departures in 2025, far below its projected capacity. The airline’s exit reflects the airport’s struggle to attract sufficient traffic and suggests that the infrastructure investment has not yet translated into the expected commercial viability. Other carriers have followed suit, leaving Luanda with a reduced international flight schedule and raising questions about the long‑term sustainability of the airport’s business model.