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World Airways renews contract for flights between Texas, Angola

By J. FRANK LYNCH
jflynch@theCitizenNews.com

The good news keeps coming for World Airways.

On Thursday, the Peachtree City-based charter carrier announced it had signed an agreement for a fifth year with Sonair Servicio Aereo, SARL, a subsidiary of Sonangol, the National Petroleum Company of the Federal Republic of Angola. Sonair Chairman and CEO Antonio dos Santos Domingos and World Airways President and CEO Randy Martinez recently renewed the agreement, valued at more than $29 million, in Luanda, Angola.

The “Houston Express,” as the service is known, has grown to three nonstop roundtrip flights per week between Houston and Luanda. It is the result of a collaborative effort between Sonair and the United States Africa Energy Association (USAEA). The flights, operated by World Airways on their behalf, provide exclusive, specialized travel for USAEA members.

For example, a specially configured MD-11 aircraft is used on the leg and consists of 12 first-class seats, 78 business-class seats and 23 super-economy seats. The first-class cabin features sleeper seats that recline flat, with cabin appointments and amenities rivaling international first class service offered anywhere.

“The overwhelming acceptance of this service has resulted in the third round-trip flight between Houston and Luanda,” Martinez said. “This additional frequency provides the USAEA corporate members with an even more flexible and reliable flight schedule.”

Last week, the value of World Airways stock rose 7.2 percent after the carrier announced it had landed the biggest commercial contract in its 57-year history, a $116 million deal to provide cargo service between the U.S. and Taiwan for two years. And last Saturday night, recently retired Chairman and CEO Hollis Harris was named Business Person of the Year by the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce, largely due to his decision to relocate World’s headquarters to Peachtree City from Virginia in 2001.