By THE CITIZEN

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National carrier Air Tanzania is set to introduce new routes in the domestic market in the next two years.

Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) CEO Ladislaus Matindi on Wednesday said the new destinations will include Iringa, Mpanda, Tanga as well as Shinyanga.

Mr Matindi said the airline was currently operating 10 airways from the commercial capital Dar es Salaam to Dodoma, Mwanza, Mbeya, Songea, Tabora, Kigoma, Bukoba, Mtwara and the Comoros.

New aircraft

"Other than the new routes we were also expecting to have a new aircraft CS 300 Bombardier in May, but has been delayed and will now arrive in November," said Mr Matindi.

Last Sunday, Tanzania received its first long-range Boeing 787 Dreamliner at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) in Dar es Salaam.

The new aircraft is expected to fly to domestic routes as it finalises preparations to inaugurate international flights.

“The Dreamliner is expected to start flying locally three weeks from now. It will be flying between Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro before we start flying to India,” added Mr Matindi.

International routes

The flag carrier is optimistic to launch its maiden cross-continent flight to Mumbai in September should things go as planned.

The purchase of new jets is part of Air Tanzania’s plan to grow its operations across Africa as well as to international destinations.

Tanzania’s airspace is currently dominated by low-cost carriers Fastjet and Precision that all operate both the domestic and international routes.