__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Monday, June 4, 2012

► CAPE VERDE ISLANDS: TACV takes two B737-800s for fleet renewal.

TACVTransportes Aéreos de Cabo Verde, TACV, the Cape Verdian flag carrier, has taken ownership of the first of its two ILFC Boeing 737-800s (N734MA & N742MA) ordered as part of its fleet renewal program.

TACV Boeing 737-800 'D4-CBX' Cape Verde Islands
TACV B737-800 'D4-CBX' (D Morales)
Carlos Carvalho did not give a date for the arrival of the first aircraft in Cape Verde but Cape Verdean newspaper A Semana said that the new Boeing would land at Nelson Mandela airport in Praia in July.

The second Boeing is due to arrive in September and has capacity to carry 162 passengers. It is expected to operate on the Cape Verde-Portugal route and will allow TACV to return the Air Atlantic aircraft that currently operates the route.

The aircraft has capacity to carry just over 150 passengers and will allow TACV to open up new routes to the sub-African region, which is a market that Cape Verde wants to explore, as well as to increase links to Boston (United States), which is increasingly sought after.

Presently, TACV operates two Boeing 757-200, both of which are to be retired when the 737s arrive.