Angolan flag carrier TAAG Angola Airlines announced on August 15, 2026, that it had successfully completed a special air freight mission earlier in the month, transporting two adult lions from Johannesburg (JNB), South Africa, to Lagos (LOS), Nigeria.
The two lions, each weighing approximately 200 kilograms, were carried aboard a Boeing 737-800F freighter. The shipment was routed through the airline's primary hub at Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport (NBJ) in Luanda, Angola. Prior to the transport, the animals were in the care of wildlife specialists in South Africa, and they were transferred to a zoological facility in Lagos to be cared for within a secure and controlled environment.
TAAG Angola Airlines highlighted the completion of the flight as an example of the operational possibilities offered by Dr. António Agostinho Neto International Airport, which opened for cargo operations in late 2023 as a trans-shipment point for high-value and special cargo. The airline's cargo division, TAAG Cargo, conducts regular air freight operations across the African continent, operating dedicated cargo services from Luanda to Lagos, Brazzaville, Abidjan, Accra, Kinshasa, Nairobi, Johannesburg, and Lusaka.
According to the airline, this specific transport stood out due to its unusual nature and special operational and regulatory requirements. As of August 2026, the Angolan carrier operates two dedicated freight aircraft: a Boeing 737-700QC, which ch-aviation lists as inactive, and a Boeing 737-800BCF. The Boeing 737-800BCF was the specific aircraft used to move the two lions to Nigeria and serves as the airline's primary cargo aircraft for transporting various freight types across Africa.
