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Romeo Tango
14th Oct 2002, 07:41
What's Luanda like these days?
Can anyone suggest a handling agent and/or hotel for a night stop?

Or is it still not recommended for night stops?

Romeo Tango

AJ
14th Oct 2002, 21:58
Luanda is still very much the dump that it has been for a long time....not a pleasant place, and darn expensive too (imports).

The only place I know of (and stayed at) was the Meridien, and that was also darn expensive (over $100/night). Rather ironic, considering the miserable state that most Angolans live in.

The hotel can actually be booked online at expedia.co.uk

By the by, what's all this about BA starting weekly flights down to LAD in November??

Regards

p.s. a portuguese phrase book might come in handy :p

Firestorm
17th Oct 2002, 09:25
It's true. Announced in BA News last week. They have been thinking about it for a few years. I met some engineers there 3 years ago who were scoping the airport and facilities out. There seemed to be two issues: no ILS, but BA were willing to participate in funding one, and security and safety of crews and aeroplane on the ground and in hotels. I suppose that since the ceasefire and the death of the rebel leader the percieved threat is less. I don't expect the poor and needy of Luanda will give two hoots about that though. It's not much worse than most big european cities seedy quarters in my opinion. Although the punishment for those caught mugging expats and foreigners is.

As for where to stay: there was nowhere that I could afford to even visit, but we were accomodated in a villa in the city, near the sea front, and very pleasant it was too.

The Claw
31st Oct 2002, 16:19
"A ceasefire took place in April 2002 and the subsequent peace agreement between UNITA and the government of Angola is progressing well. A combination of decommissioning and weapons lost in war, have severely limited UNITA's surface to air capability. The alert status of the airforce has diminished decreasing the risk of hostile military action against misidentified civilian aircraft overflying Angola.

International civilian flights to Luanda are a "regular" occurrence.

Romeo Tango
31st Oct 2002, 21:50
Thanks all.

I'll go and see for myself .....

PS If anyone can suggest a source of Avgas thereabouts I'd be interested in that too