Dar es Salaam - Tanzania has made a down payment of Sh596.3 billion ($258.7 million) for the purchase of five aircraft for the national carrier Air Tanzania.The order includes cargo planes, which are all expected to be delivered before the end of 2023.
Aviation industry sources told The EastAfrican that the funds were approved by the current government despite heavy losses incurred by the carrier under a revival programme initiated by former president John Magufuli and the effects of Covid-19 pandemic.
The planes, once they arrive in the country, will raise Air Tanzania's current fleet size to 16.
In addition to two new Airbus A220-300s received earlier this month, the airline's fleet comprises two Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner's two other Airbus A220-300s and five Bombardier Q-400/Dash 8-400s.
Zanzibar President Hussein Mwinyi disclosed the plans to purchase the additional five aircraft while receiving the latest Airbuses, named ‘Zanzibar’ and ‘Tanzanite’ respectively, on behalf of President Samia Suluhu at Zanzibar's Abeid Amani Karume International Airport on October 8.
He said the process was already "under way" but did not offer details.
The announcement coincides with a pledge by the President Suluhu's administration to push her predecessor's plans to revamp the airline and bolster Tanzania's aviation industry through new investment.
At the same time, Air Tanzania announced four new regional routes to be launched next month from Dar es Salaam to Bujumbura, Ndola, Lubumbashi and Nairobi.
Dar-Bujumbura flights are scheduled to start on November 8 while the Dar-Ndola and Dar-Lubumbashi routes will be launched on November 18 and Dar-Nairobi on November 26.
The airline currently provides regional flights to Entebbe, Harare, Lusaka, and Hahaya and a weekly cargo flights to Guangzhou, China.
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