Auric Air launches Kahama, Mwanza flights in response to rising demand
Passengers of Auric Air Services disembark from a Bombardier Dash 8-300 aircraft during the airline’s inaugural flight after landing in Kahama following the official launch of the services on December 17, 2025. PHOTO | COURTESY
The flights will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, using a Bombardier Dash 8-300 aircraft with a capacity of 50 passengers.
Dar es Salaam. Auric Air Services has launched four weekly flights linking Dar es Salaam, Kahama and Mwanza to meet the rising demand for air transport in the Lake Zone.
The flights will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, using a Bombardier Dash 8-300 aircraft with a capacity of 50 passengers.
The aircraft will fly from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza via Kahama. Travel time between Dar es Salaam and Kahama will be about two hours, Kahama to Mwanza 30 minutes, while the return flight from Mwanza to Dar es Salaam will take approximately two hours and 10 minutes.
Speaking on the launch of the new services, Auric Air’s sales director, Mr Deepesh Gupta, said the airline’s key distinction from other operators on the route is its schedule, noting that the flights operate during the day and in the evening when there had previously been no services.
Mr Gupta said the new routes provide an opportunity for the airline to increase its contribution to the aviation sector, adding that Auric Air operates a fleet of 25 aircraft, including four large planes and two luxury aircraft.
On competition in the sector, he said the size of the national carrier, Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL), does not hinder Auric Air’s operations but instead helps expand the overall market.
“It is not that ATCL’s dominance is a burden to smaller operators like us. On the contrary, as it expands its international network, it brings in passengers whom we then transport to destinations it does not serve, particularly for tourism,” Mr Gupta said.
Auric Air’s planning officer, Ms Asha Mzuri, said the growing demand for air transport has largely been driven by government-led improvements in airport infrastructure.
“The air travel market is expanding, infrastructure is improving and the efficiency of airlines is also increasing. We commend the government for supporting the growth of this sector,” she said.
