Applications for air service licenses up in Tanzania

(eTN) – The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) last week provided information that the demand for air service licenses, compared with 2009, has risen by more than a third in the recent past. More than half of the applications sent to the Tanzania Civil Aviation licensing committee were for new applications, with the balance being for renewal of existing licenses already in place and operation.

However, like in Uganda, the aviation sector seems almost stunted compared to the regular flow of new applications in Kenya, where the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) holds quarterly licensing hearings due to interest by investors and air operators from outside Kenya to establish a base there, being the most vibrant aviation market in Eastern Africa. Still, every new application, as long as the applicants propose to use new state-of-the-art equipment and make proper presentation about their planned maintenance, is welcome as – once the East African Community will fully open up again – aviation is a key sector to keep trade and visits flowing.