Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) is set to launch new routes to Nigeria, Ghana and the United Kingdom next year in a bid to realize its ambition of transforming Dar es Saalam into a regional hub following the expansion of its fleet two B737-9s and one B787-8.
ATCL is a government-owned airline with a fleet of 12 aircrafts; one Dash 8-Q300, five Dash 8-Q400, four Airbus A220-300 and two Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. Before the end of 2023, the airline expects to add to the fleet; one Dash 8 Q400, two Boeing 737 Max – 9, one Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner and one Boeing 767 Freighter according to ch-aviation fleets advanced data.
This development was recently announced by Mr. Ladislaus Matindi, Managing Director of Air Tanzania Company Limited. Tanzania is spending TZS468 billion shillings (USD201 million) in the coming financial year to purchase new aircraft for Air Tanzania and expects them to be delivered in early 2023.
Mr. Ladislaus Matindi, the Air Tanzania MD during his media briefing emphasized the aim is to expand Air Tanzania’s reach and make Dar es Salaam a prominent transport and logistics hub in East Africa. “We are starting flights that will attract people to use Air Tanzania to connect, especially to Europe” He said.
He further noted that while Air Tanzania plans to improve its domestic connectivity, it is looking to open new routes in Africa and globally. He pointed out that Air Tanzania has already resumed flights to Guangzhou in China, which were cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Air Tanzania currently serves Songea, Dodoma, Kigoma, Tabora, Mbeya, Mtwara, Zanzibar, Bujumbura, Kilimanjaro, Songea, Bukoba, Mwanza, Iringa, Entebbe, Comoros, Harare, Lusaka, Johannesburg and Guangzou in China.
When the new routes expansion plan is realized next year, Ghana and Nigeria will be the first Air Tanzania’s West Africa footprint and London will become the aircraft’s opener to the European Skies.
