Angola Airlines purchases Boeing 777-300ER

TAAG Angola Airlines is purchasing Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with GE90 engines assisted by an approximately $256 million long-term loan guarantee from the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

The aircraft will be used to expand TAAG’s intercontinental service provided through its all-Boeing fleet.
The guaranteed lender is the Private Export Funding Corporation (PEFCO) in New York, N.Y. HSBC Bank PLC in London, U.K., is the arranger.


A ceremonial signing took place today at Ex-Im Bank headquarters in Washington, D.C. Participants were Ex-Im Bank Chairman Fred P. Hochberg, TAAG Angola Airlines Chairman Dr. Pimentel Araújo and PEFCO Senior Vice President Richard Youtz. Also signing were Matinho Codo, chargé d’Affaires of the Republic of Angola to the United States; Miguel Santos, director of International Sales for Boeing Commercial Airplanes; and Richard Hodder, director, Sub-Saharan Africa, Project and Export Finance, HSBC.


“Ex-Im Bank is pleased to add this transaction to our support for Boeing sales to TAAG Angola Airlines. Our loan guarantees have helped the airline to access affordable financing and build its fleet in order to provide expanded air service for Angola. The U.S. aerospace exports financed by this transaction also will support jobs at Boeing and its hundreds of suppliers across the United States,” said Ex-Im Bank Chairman Fred P. Hochberg.


“This transaction also adds to Ex-Im Bank’s significantly increased support for U.S. exports to sub-Saharan Africa in fiscal year 2011, which has more than doubled over the previous record set last year,” Hochberg added.


“Ex-Im Bank’s financing support of our acquisition of 777-300ER aircraft is critical to TAAG’s success in achieving a strongly
competitive position in the Africa-to-Europe marketplace,” said Dr. Pimentel Araújo, chairman of TAAG Angola Airlines.


The transaction is structured as an asset-backed finance lease in which Ex-Im Bank retains a first-priority security interest in the financed aircraft. Ex-Im Bank’s guarantee is supported by a sovereign guarantee from the Angolan government.Ex-Im Bank previously provided approximately $338.5 million in loan guarantees in 2006 to assist TAAG Angola Airlines in its purchase of B737-700 and B777-200ER aircraft. 

       Selman TENGÜZ

   Wednesday, May 18, 2011

       Talip BÖLÜKBAŞI

   Thursday, May 19, 2011