Flay Angola made, yesterday, the inaugural flight to São Tomé, a milestone considered important by citizens of the countries, who have thus shortened the distance between the two PALOP countries, with the second Angolan airline to make this connection, following from TAAG.
São Tomé citizen, Guiomara Almeida, resident in Angola for nine years, was among the 32 passengers who made the maiden voyage. Already on São Tomé soil, Guiomara told OPAÍS that Flay’s entry into the scene was a benefit, particularly for citizens who now find an alternative to traveling from one country to another.
Competition, better customer service and price reduction are some of the advantages highlighted by the young trader, who took shoes and other products from Angola to sell to her fellow countrymen.
For now, the price of a ticket from Angola to São Tomé and vice versa, in Kwanza, on Flay is valued at 250 US dollars, a value lower than that charged by TAAG.
Upon realizing the price, Guiomara said he mightn’t believe it, having immediately opted to buy it. “When I saw the price I mightn’t believe it, I thought it was a scam.
In the neighborhood, in Angola, my fellow countrymen were laughing because they also thought it was a scam”, he said, adding that he is now receiving calls from the same people who laughed at him, who are looking to find out where they can buy tickets.
Someone who also found an opportunity to travel between the two countries, with two options, is Angolan Jorge Sanda. The traveler corroborates the idea that the appearance of other operators connecting the two countries improves services, lowers prices and makes the business more competitive.
Used to traveling with just one company, Jorge sees the emergence of Flay as a positive opportunity, not only for citizens, but also for the two States that see the commercial flow increasing with the second operator.
First trade route
For the general director of Flay Angola, Belarnício Muangala, competition is healthy for the economy, but he emphasizes that his company looks more towards the path of complementarity, because in the end, he emphasizes, the country is the one who wins.
Flay will connect Angola to São Tomé with four weekly frequencies, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, and on the first two days the connection will be with Príncipe Island.
It is Flay Angola’s first international route, which has three aircraft for this purpose, and according to Belarnício Muangala, he hopes that the opening of this route will contribute to connecting the two countries.
Namibia, next destination
Still in the first half of this year, according to Belarnício Muangala, Flay plans to open the second international route to Namibia, a process that the manager guarantees is already underway.
With a stopover in the province of Cabinda, Flay’s Dash 8-300 flight departed Luanda at 17:30 minutes, having landed in the capital of São Tomé at 21:38 (local time), at Nunes Xavier International Airport.
The 32 two passengers on the inaugural flight included members of the company’s management, journalists, guests and citizens of both countries.
