Tanzania: ATCL Acquires Another Plane

TANZANIA National Flag carrier (Air Tanzania) has acquired a 50-seater Canadian CRJ-200 Jet aircraft, which is part of its implementation of the company's ambitious and aggressive expansion plan.

Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) see this new development as a step towards achieving its go-green strategy because the aircraft will boost the airline services considerably by opening new routes, increasing flight frequencies to existing routes and assuring reliability to its loyal customers.

Shortly after landing at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam on Thursday evening, ATCL Acting Chief Executive Officer Captain Milton Lazaro said the future of the national flag carrier was bright because it had come up with a workable expansion strategy whose implementation had started.

"This aircraft received today is part of the three aircrafts we planned to acquire this year. The other two are expected to arrive between April and May this year. The addition of this aircraft to our fleet will enable us to open new frontiers and add more routes into our footprint," said Captain Lazaro.

He said the other two aircraft to be acquired are 78- seater new generation types, which will also be deployed on new national and international routes.

Capt. Lazaro said the airline plans to introduce a number of new destinations including Tabora- Mpanda, Mbeya- Dar es Salaam and increase frequencies in Mwanza- Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam-Comoros, Mtwara and Kigoma routes.

"With the expansion of our fleet, our guests will enjoy daily flights from Dar es Salaam to Mwanza, with departure time from Dar being 1600hrs and from Mwanza at 1800hrs. We will be going to Mbeya four times a week; Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.

To Moroni in Comoros we will fly on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. We also intend to open up Tabora -Mpanda route soon," he said.

He mentioned that the airline has also waived some penalties imposed on no show passengers or those seeking change of reservation, saying that this would save their passengers from incurring extra costs in case they encounter unforeseen emergencies before travelling.

"In a move to support our guests and showing them that we understand our circumstances and business environment, the airline has decided to waive penalties on passengers who fail to show up at the airport before departure time (No-show penalties) and Reservation alteration penalty," Capt. Lazaro said.

According to the CEO, acquisition of this initial aircraft would increase the airline's passenger uplift by 30 to 40 per cent, given that the national flag carrier was considered to have the most competitive and affordable fares in the Tanzania airline industry.

Using its Bombardier Dash-8, ATCL was currently plying to over 8 destinations in Tanzania that includes Mtwara, Mwanza, Tabora, Kigoma, Dar es Salaam, Bujumbura, Mbeya and to Moroni in Comoros.