One more aircraft comes tomorrow

What you need to know:

  • Second Air Tanzania’s Airbus A220-300 is expectedto arrive on Friday, 11 this year, making the number of the airline’s fleet to reach seven. The first similar plane was delivered last month.
  • Seventh ATCL’s airbus plane to arrive on Friday

Dar es Salaam. Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) expects to receive the second Airbus A220-300 airplane tomorrow.

The plane, known as titled ‘Ngorongoro – Hapa Kazi Tu’, has the seating capacity of 141 passengers. The handover of the second plane was done at the Mirabel assembly line in Canada on Tuesday by government and Airbus senior officials. The first A220-300 aircraft named ‘Dodoma – Hapa Kazi Tu’ arrived on December 23, 2018 and started its trip from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza on January 7.

When Tanzania took the delivery of its first Airbus A220 government flight agency acting chief Tito Kasambala said the aircraft had “remarkable performance and economics” and will be an “excellent asset” for the flag-carrier.

“We are confident that we will expand our footprint in the growing African market and beyond,” said ATCL managing director Ladislaus Matindi. ATCL communications head Josephat Kagirwa said the plane would start its route to Mbeya on March 12 before launching trips to Lusaka and Harare. “The Dar-Mwanza route is the largest domestic market.” According Mr Kagirwa, between next month and June ATCL will introduce routes to Lusaka, Harare, Johannesburg, Mumbai, Guangzhuo and Bangkok.

In 2016, the Tanzanian government initiated a drive to revive the national carrier, as part of a pledge made during the election campaigns by President John Magufuli the previous year.

The government purchase two brand new Bombardier Q400 for the national carrier which were delivered in September 2016. In December the same year the President’s office announced that a further four aircraft would be purchased for the national carrier, with deliveries set for June 2018.

Air Tanzania Corporation was established on 11 March 1977 after the break-up of East African Airways which had previously served the region.

Air Tanzania is wholly owned by the government.

ATCL based in Dar es Salaam with its hub at Julius Nyerere International Airport. It was established as Air Tanzania Corporation in 1977.