Air Tanzania expands fleet with new Boeing 737-9 Max

What you need to know:

  • The aircraft, which was received by Vice President Phillip Mpango, became the 14th in ATCL's fleet.

Dar es Salaam. Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) received its latest aircraft acquisition on Tuesday, October 3, with the arrival of a new Boeing 737-9 Max dubbed 'Olduvai Gorge' at Julius Nyerere International Airport.

The aircraft, which was received by Vice President Phillip Mpango, became the 14th in ATCL's fleet.

The new addition is capable of medium-haul flights and can handle any direct or non-stop flight with a flight duration of up to eight hours.

It has a capacity of 181 passengers, with 165 in economy class and 16 in business class. It can also carry six tonnes of cargo volume.

The acquisition of the new aircraft is part of ATCL's ongoing revamping programme, which has seen the airline acquire 13 aircraft, including one cargo plane, since October 2016.

The airline currently has a network of 14 domestic destinations, 8 regional destinations, and 2 intercontinental destinations.

With the new plane, ATCL plans to add five new domestic destinations: Pemba, Tanga, Mafia, Nachingwea, and Musoma.

The expansion of ATCL's fleet is a positive development for Tanzania’s aviation industry and will help boost tourism and economic growth.