Dar es Salaam/ Accra. National carrier Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) on Wednesday, January 28, officially launched a new direct route to Accra, Ghana, marking another milestone in the airline’s rapid international expansion and strengthening air connectivity between East and West Africa.
The launch came shortly after the December inauguration of two other international routes to Cape Town and Victoria Falls.
The inaugural flight, operated by a Boeing 737-9 Max, was welcomed with a traditional water cannon salute upon arrival at Kotoka International Airport in Accra, a ceremonial honour reserved for significant aviation milestones.
With the new service, ATCL becomes the 26th international airline to operate flights into the Ghanaian capital, while Accra becomes the 32nd destination and the second in West Africa after Lagos on the carrier’s growing network.
Speaking during the launch ceremony, ATCL Chief Executive Officer Peter Ulanga said the airline’s continued route expansion reflects steady growth and renewed confidence in the national carrier.
ATCL's innaugural flight from JNIA arrives at the Kotoka International Airport Accra on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. The airline will operate three weekly flights to Accra via Lagos
He noted that ATCL now serves 32 destinations and is planning to add three more domestic routes — Rukwa, Shinyanga and Musoma — in the near future. The airline transported more than 1.5 million passengers in 2025, a record performance in its history.
Transport Minister Prof Makame Mbarawa said the new route is more than just a commercial venture, describing it as a step toward realising the Pan-African aspirations championed by Tanzania’s founding president Julius Nyerere and Ghana’s first leader Kwame Nkrumah.
“These are not meant to be mere lines drawn on the map, but connections that bring Africans together,” Prof Mbarawa said, adding that the Accra service will provide travellers from West Africa with faster and more convenient access to destinations in the Far East, including China and India.
He noted that in the past, passengers were often forced to make lengthy stopovers through Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Istanbul or Dubai — journeys that increased travel time and inconvenience — but the direct link significantly reduces transit time and enhances comfort for travellers.
The new connection is also expected to boost tourism flows to Tanzania, particularly to Zanzibar and key mainland attractions, while supporting broader regional travel ahead of major continental sporting and cultural events.
“In 2027 we expect to host the AFCON, therefore travellers will need a more reliable connection as they come for this spectacular event in East Africa,” he said
ATCL’s growth trajectory has been notable over the past decade, expanding from a single aircraft to a fleet of 16 planes, alongside a widening network of domestic, regional and international routes.
Speaking at the inauguration at Kotoka International Airport, Ghana’s transport minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe said the launch of Air Tanzania’s Accra service was a welcome step toward easing travel challenges within the continent, noting that West Africans and Africans in general often face difficulties moving between their own countries.
He said the introduction of three weekly flights by ATCL would significantly improve connectivity while boosting tourism, trade and employment opportunities for citizens of both nations.
Mr Nikpe also revealed that Ghana is in the process of re-establishing its national airline, Black Star, with plans to have it operational within the next 12 months.
On her part, the Ghana Airports Company Limited welcomed the development, describing it as a major step in deepening bilateral ties.
Ghana Airports Authority Manager Yvonne Nana Opare said the new route strengthens bonds of friendship, cooperation and trade between Ghana and Tanzania while enhancing passenger convenience and positioning Ghana as a strategic aviation hub in West Africa.
“Beyond aviation, this route is important for trade, tourism and economic collaboration while also promoting people-to-people and cultural exchanges between East and West Africa,” she said.
Ms Opare added that the service opens new opportunities for business travellers, students, investors and tourists to explore both regions, highlighting Tanzania’s attractions such as Mount Kilimanjaro, Serengeti National Park, Zanzibar and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, as well as Ghana’s Elmina and Cape Coast Castles, Kakum National Park and scenic coastlines.
She reaffirmed Ghana Airports Company Limited’s commitment to supporting ATCL as it establishes and grows the route, expressing confidence that the airline will maintain high standards of safety, reliability and customer service.
