Tanzania Civil Aviation licensing meeting set for May

(eTN) – The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority’s licensing committee will meet in May to consider a number of new and renewal applications, aimed to add extra capacity into the market and uphold competition.

According to data availed by a regular source in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania presently has nearly 60 licensed air operators, most of which are operating few aircraft and offer charter services only.

While no details could be ascertained on the new applications, if for charters or scheduled flights, 5 such applications will be heard for Aerovista Tanzania, Cicada Aviation, Shine Aviation, Neos, and Zulu Air Tanzania.

Also on the list of applications are two more for ground handling, while 15 renewal applications from existing operators are due to be considered.

Tanzania is after Kenya, the second busiest East African Community (EAC) member state in terms of licensed air operators and aircraft registered, but is thought to have a large growth potential considering the vast distances travelers have to cover in what is the EAC’s largest country. The largest airline is Precision Air, now quoted on the Dar es Salaam stock exchange, but a number of other airlines, among them Coastal Aviation, play an equally important role in particular with their flights into the national parks.

In line with EAC resolutions, Tanzania has in recent years embarked on a number of rehabilitation and expansion projects of the main airports, secondary airports, aerodromes, and airfields to provide an infrastructure boost for the aviation industry through newly-resurfaced and lengthened runways and state-of-the-art passenger terminals.