A recently opened airport in southern Africa is providing opportunity for tourism and flights in lesser visited parts of the continent.
As international travel gets back into full swing post-pandemic, new airports are opening up across the globe, including the Luanda Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (AIAAN) in Angola.
It first opened for business in November 2022 but passenger flights didn't get underway till the end of 2024.
Globally, airlines carried a 9.5 billion passengers to destinations all around the globe last year and according to the African Airlines Association, around 98 million of these travellers flew to Africa.
However, air travel remains concentrated in other areas with North Africa making up 40.4% of the continent's total passenger traffic.
The Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport is looking to change that and design itself as the key port for air transport in the southern region.
By the end of this month, all domestic and international flights from Luanda's existing airport, Quatro de Fevereiro to AIAAN.
The new facility was built by the China National Aero-technology International Engineering Corporation, and boasts two modern runways and three terminal buildings across the 43 hectare site.
A new rail link also opened in November, right as passenger flights comments, connecting the airport with downtown Luanda, Angola's capital city.
At full operating capacity the airport will be able to handle 10 million international passengers and 5 million domestic travellers annually.
