Houston Airport System to lose only nonstop flight to Africa

The Houston Airport System will lose its only nonstop flight to Africa when SonAir stops flying from Bush Intercontinental Airport to Luanda, Angola, later this month. The Houston Airport System will lose its only nonstop flight to Africa when SonAir stops flying from Bush Intercontinental Airport to Luanda, Angola, later this month. Photo: Bill Montgomery, . Photo: Bill Montgomery, . Image 1 of / 26 Caption Close Houston Airport System to lose only nonstop flight to Africa 1 / 26 Back to Gallery

The Houston Airport System connects the Bayou City to every inhabited continental region on the planet. But later this month, it will lose that distinction as its only nonstop flight to Africa gets discontinued.

SonAir's charter flight to Luanda, Angola, is being canceled. Known as the "Houston Express," it was operated by Atlas Air and departed Bush Intercontinental Airport three to four times a week throughout the year.

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For many years, seats were only sold to oil and gas companies with operations in Luanda. It became a "public charter" in mid-2017, which opened a portion of the seats for purchase by people outside of the membership companies.

Atlas Air declined to comment.

"Obviously, we are disappointed that the service is leaving the Houston market," Molly Waits, director of air service development for the Houston Airport System, said in an email. "SonAir has been a valued airline provider in the Houston market for over 16 years. Our mission and the reason the Houston Airport System exists is to connect the people, businesses, economies and cultures of the world to Houston."

The Airport System began saying it connects Houston to every inhabited continental region after Air New Zealand began flying to Auckland in late 2015. Earlier this year, the Airport System could say it flew to every continent as United Airlines began offering nonstop service to Sydney, Australia.

Mario Diaz, director of the Houston Airport System, has previously told the Chronicle that he'd like to add additional flights to Africa. Waits said the Airport System remains "very focused on developing service connecting Houston with the African continent nonstop," but she didn't have any updates to provide on those efforts.