The Tanzanian national carrier’s second Airbus A220-300 plane has landed.

The plane, christened Ngorongoro, touched down at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam to great pomp and ceremony last week on Friday.

Added to the other Airbus that arrived on December 23, it brings to six the number of aircraft Air Tanzania Company Ltd has.

The plane, with a seating capacity of 160 passengers, is 38.7 metres long and 11.5 metres wide, with wings spanning 35.1 metres.

Air Tanzania becomes the first African airline to operate the Airbus A220-300 and the fifth airline globally with an A220 family aeroplane.

The A220-300 will enable Air Tanzania to develop its domestic and regional markets further as well as open up new routes to India and the Middle East.

The first Airbus A220-300, christened Dodoma has begun local flights and is expected to embark on international routes, including to Mumbai, Guangzhou and Bangkok, between February and June.

Air Tanzania is also eyeing Lusaka, Johannesburg, and Harare, with flights likely to begin in February.

According to the airline, Ngorongoro was expected to take its first flight to Mbeya on January 12 before being deployed to Lusaka and Harare.