Cabo Verde Airlines Receives First Boeing 737 MAX

DALLAS - Cabo Verde Airlines (VR), also called TACV, has delivered its first Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, enabling the carrier to enlarge its global presence.

The aircraft, registered as D4-CCJ, belongs to the standard Boeing 737-8 version of the MAX family. The type can carry between 162 and 178 passengers over a maximum distance of 3.500 nautical miles with full fuel load. The specific airframe, with MSN 60432, is 4.4 years old and previously operated for Comair (MN) in a British Airways (BA) livery.

"With the addition of the Boeing 737-8, we continue to expand our fleet to pre-pandemic levels," said Sara Pires, Cabo Verde Airlines' CEO and president. "The delivery of an airplane with the capabilities of the 737-8 allows us to meet the growing travel demand to our archipelago country at the crossroads of four continents."

With the arrival of this next-gen aircraft, VR now operates an exclusive Boeing 737 fleet, as it recently retired all remaining Boeing 757-200s, the latest leaving Praia (RAI) as late as October 2022.

Until October 2022, Cabo Verde Airlines relied almost exclusively on the Boeing 757 to run its flights. Photo: Alberto Cucini/Airways.

A Small, Crucial Airline for Cape Verde

Living in a paradise archipelago off the coast of Africa, with mild temperatures and a calm climate, maybe the dream of every person on the planet. However, the geographic isolation of the Cape Verde islands is so vast that culturally close cities such as Lisbon or Sao Paulo remain very far away, at 1,800 and 3,000 miles, respectively.

Added to this, the Atlantic Ocean, which surrounds the archipelago, is a significant barrier which, on many occasions, makes flying to and out of Cape Verde the only viable method of transportation from the outside world.

Founded in 1958, the airline serves the country this exact purpose, as it runs crucial flights from Espargos (SID) and Praia (RAI) to Lisbon-Portela (LIS) and Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airports, allowing passengers to further connect to Europe, Asia and North America on board Air France (AF), or TAP Air Portugal (TP), both partners of VR.

https://airwaysmag.com/cabo-verde-airlines-boeing-737-8/

Featured image: Cabo Verde Airline officials welcome the first 737-8 at Praia. Photo: Cabo Verde Airlines.