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From Island Hops to Aviationtag: The Legacy of Cabo Verde Airlines and the ATR 72 D4-CBU
In this blog, we dive into the rich history of Cabo Verde Airlines and share the story behind our D4-CBU Aviationtag edition. Enjoy the read, and don’t forget to leave a comment below for a chance to win a prize!
The History of Cabo Verde Airlines
Cabo Verde Airlines, founded in 1958 as TACV (Transportes Aéreos de Cabo Verde), started as a domestic carrier in the Cape Verde archipelago, connecting the islands and later expanding into international routes. In the early 1990s, as tourism in Cape Verde began to flourish, the airline expanded its fleet and routes to meet increasing demand. The airline, headquartered in Praia, played a crucial role in connecting Cape Verde to destinations in Europe, West Africa, and the Americas.
However, by the mid-2000s, TACV struggled with financial issues, leading to its partial privatization in 2019 when a majority stake was acquired by Loftleidir, part of the Icelandair Group. The airline was rebranded as Cabo Verde Airlines, shifting its focus to become a hub carrier linking Africa and Europe through its home base on the island of Sal. Despite several efforts to revive the airline, challenges such as the global pandemic in 2020 caused further disruptions, but the airline continues to serve as a symbol of Cape Verde’s connectivity to the world.
Today, Cabo Verde Airlines operates a much smaller fleet than in its peak years, focusing on Boeing 737-700 aircraft. This fleet is well-suited to its international routes, connecting Cape Verde with Europe, Africa, and South America. The airline has evolved, but it continues to play an important role in Cape Verde's connectivity with the world.
Aviationtag ATR 72 D4-CBU Collection Alle
The Aviationtag ATR 72 Edition
One of the standout aircraft in TACV’s earlier fleet was the ATR 72-212, registered D4-CBU. This plane serve the airline from 2007 to 2017, connecting the Cape Verdean archipelago with its distinctive silhouette in the sky. Named “Baltazar Lope,” the D4-CBU became a familiar sight for passengers traveling between the islands, carrying not only people but also their dreams and aspirations.
The D4-CBU, with its 68-seat all-economy configuration, had no business class, emphasizing practicality for the inter-island routes. After a decade of faithful service, it was retired and stored in Sønderborg, Denmark, in 2017. Our team discovered this ATR 72 during its retirement and was captivated by its vibrant colors, which inspired us to upcycle parts of its fuselage into a limited Aviationtag edition. Although we initially hesitated to release another ATR edition due to the number of recent ATR models we’ve worked with, the unique colors of the D4-CBU left us no choice.
Have you ever flown with Cabo Verde Airlines? Or do you have any memorable experiences on an ATR 72 flight? Share your stories in the comments below – the most interesting one will win a special Cabo Verde-themed prize!
While looking up the plane’s registration, I saw that it was delivered new to TACV in 2007. It’s a pitty for such a young airframe to be retired, but I’m happy that at least its colors have ended up being preserved as Aviationtags for all of us to enjoy :)
While I haven’t flown on any ATR aircraft yet, I was able to view one of the first ATR 42 ever made while visiting the Aeroscopia Museum in Toulouse. Funny thing is that the little guy was parked near a gigantic Airbus A380! It was certainly nice to see how today’s planemakers cater to everyone’s needs by making aircraft as diverse as our very own world 🌍… I just hope each one could be preserved!
Very cool release with nice combo's.
ATR72 is a very unique experience to fly
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