Unguja. Dutch carrier KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is set to resume direct flights to Zanzibar from Saturday, October 26, restoring a vital link between the Isles and Europe following a seven-month suspension earlier this year.
According to the latest flight schedule at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport, that The Citizen has seen, the Amsterdam–Zanzibar- Amsterdam service will return to the skies with flights operated by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, one of KLM’s most modern long-haul aircraft.
The flight will arrive in Zanzibar before proceeding to Dar es Salaam and then back to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.
The resumption comes after KLM and its sister airline Air France temporarily suspended their Zanzibar operations in March 2025 as part of a planned seasonal adjustment.
Air France halted its Paris–Zanzibar route between March 22 and May 25, 2025, while KLM extended its break from March to October 2025.
During the suspension, both airlines continued operating flights to Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro International Airport, considered key business destinations.
In a statement issued then, Air France clarified that the changes were not cancellations but “a planned pause during the green season,” a period that typically experiences lower travel demand.
The return of KLM flights is expected to strengthen Zanzibar’s tourism which has hit record numbers in the past three months and enhance the island’s connectivity to European source markets — especially the Netherlands, Germany, France, and the UK — without the need for transit through Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
KLM’s return adds to a growing roster of international carriers currently serving Zanzibar, including Qatar Airways, Fly Dubai, Turkish Airlines, Oman Air, Ethiopian Airlines, and Kenya Airways.
Tourism stakeholders have welcomed the airline’s return, saying it will boost visitor confidence and simplify travel logistics for Europe-based tour operators.
“Having KLM back on the schedule makes it easier for us to reach high-value markets in Europe and beyond,” said a local hotelier. “Direct connectivity is crucial for both tourism and trade.”
KLM first launched flights to Zanzibar in 2016, establishing the island as one of its exclusive leisure destinations in Africa.
