Air Tanzania resumes Nairobi- Dar flights after more than 20 years
Monday November 29 2021
Tanzania's national carrier, Air Tanzania, has resumed operations between Dar es Salaam and Kenya’s capital Nairobi. PHOTO | FILE | NMG
Tanzania's national carrier has resumed operations between Dar es Salaam and Kenya’s capital Nairobi after two decades of not flying to the neighbouring country.
Air Tanzania landed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Friday, resuming daily flights between the two East African countries.
The arrival of the new ultra-modern Airbus A220-300 early Friday morning in Nairobi marks the start of the carrier's double-daily Dar es Salaam to Nairobi route, strategic to the carrier's fleet and network expansion plans in Africa.
Air Tanzania Managing Director and CEO, Eng. Ladislaus Matindi, said they resumed flights on the route following improved bilateral relations, increased trade between the two countries, inter-governmental relations, tourism, extension of familial and friendly ties, and the need to connect the region with other markets.
“We are extremely delighted to resume Nairobi route, which is one of the most significant destinations in East Africa and a key aviation hub as well,” he said.
“We are looking forward to bolstering the relations between Tanzania and Kenya, who have been trusted friends and sincere partners for decades, with this non-stop air service.”
Air Tanzania, will fly the Airbus A220-300, a 132-seater with 12 business class seats and 120 economy class seats, that is renowned for unrivalled comfort for aircraft in its category.
According to Air Tanzania, the airline will depart Dar-es-Salaam at 5.30am to arrive in Nairobi at 6.45am and depart Nairobi at 7.45am to arrive in Dar at 9am, at a cost of $334 for a round trip and roughly $210 for one-way travel on the new Dar-Nairobi route.
The evening flights will depart Julius Nyerere International Airport at 8pm and arrive in Nairobi at 9.15pm, and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 10.15pm to arrive in Tanzania at 11.30pm.
Mr Matindi said the schedule was created with the passenger's comfort in mind, such that a person can fly to either destination for business and fly back home the same day, therefore not incurring the added cost of an overnight stay.
“The idea was to ensure our airline connects the two cities to allow travellers to do business with ease,” he added.
Apart from Nairobi, Air Tanzania has announced three new regional routes this month from Dar es Salaam to Bujumbura (Burundi), Ndola (Zambia), and Lubumbashi (DR Congo).
Tanzania is seeking to expand passenger services to new markets in Africa, Asia, and Europe as international borders reopen and travel restrictions ease.
It currently serves Mumbai (India), Hahaya (Comoros), Lusaka (Zambia), Harare (Zimbabwe), Entebbe (Uganda), and Guangzhou (China).
The airline has planned to add Johannesburg (South Africa), Lagos (Nigeria), Accra (Ghana), and London (United Kingdom) to its destinations in the coming months.
Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) currently has 11 new aircraft in its fleet, with eight of them joining in the last three years, including five Bombardiers Q400's, four Airbus A220-300's, and two Boeing 787-800 Dreamliners.
ATCL has also made orders for an additional six aircraft for $726 million, including a Bombadier Q 400, two Boeing 737-900s, two Boeing 787-800 Dreamliners, and one Boeing 767 Freighter, all of which are due to enter the fleet within the next two years.