Air Tanzania now to fly to Mpanda, President Magufuli’s directive heeded

Dar es Salaam. President John Magufuli on Saturday October 12, 2019, officiated a new Air Tanzania route from Dar es Salaam to Mpanda via Tabora.

The president said the new route would bolster economic activities between the residents and their counterparts from the neighboring countries: Zambia, DRC and Burundi.

He urged Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) to improve customer care services as the government is set to purchase more aircraft.

President Magufuli was addressing residents of Mpanda district in Katavi, during his tour of Southern Highlands. The event was broadcast live via TBC.

He added, “The government will purchase more three aircraft in the near future,” he said.

Currently, the national carrier has nine aircraft in its fleet offering both domestic and international flight services, according to the ATCL’s Managing Director Ladislaus Matindi.

Mr Matindi said during the event that Air Tanzania would fly the newly launched route every Wednesday in a week.

“We will reveal further details about the new flight route including the airfares,” Mr Matindi later told The Citizen over the telephone on Saturday shortly after the launch of the new route.

He explained that ATCL’s move to launch its new Dar es Salaam-Mpanda route came after President Magufuli’s directive.

The president, he said, demanded that the management launch the route this October instead of November as it was earlier scheduled.

“We will consider to extend the services up to three times in a week depending on how the business will go,” said Mr Matindi.