Tanzania attracting international and regional airlines

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Written by Linda Hohnholz

TANZANIA (eTN) – Targeting the fast-growing tourism and rising business opportunities in Tanzania, international airlines are looking at best options to fly to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s commercial c

TANZANIA (eTN) – Targeting the fast-growing tourism and rising business opportunities in Tanzania, international airlines are looking at best options to fly to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s commercial capital, and Arusha, East Africa’s tourist capital.

The coming of Air Seychelles, the official air carrier of the Indian Ocean tourist island of the Seychelles, to Tanzania today, is a testimony of the global airlines program targeting Tanzania’s airspace.

Tourism is a leading business which has been a magnet to pull global and reputed airlines to fly to Tanzania, aviation analysts say.

Air Seychelles, which is launching its twice a week flights to Tanzania today, has targeted tourists and leisure travelers in Tanzania and East Africa, looking at the Spice Island of Zanzibar as a key source of international-class tourists and leisure travelers between East Africa and the Seychelles.

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates has expanded its African route network, and will launch its daily service to Dar es Salaam from Abu Dhabi next year.

Vice President of the Airline, Moris Pholeli, said Dar es Salaam is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, and his airline has decided to enter into the market by starting operating with an Airbus A320 aircraft, with 16 Business Class and 120 Economy class seats on its Abu Dhabi and Dar es Salaam route.

Emirates Airlines has launched five times weekly flights between Dar es Salaam and Dubai to complement the airline’s daily operations.

Launched in October this year, the five flights available brought the total to 12 flights a week on the Dar es Salaam and Dubai routes, an indication of the growing business between Tanzania and other countries, mostly the Middle East and Far East.

Qatar Airways operates daily flights between Dar es Salaam and Doha in Qatar, making it stand among leading global airlines with great lust to Tanzanian airspace. Qatar Airways links Tanzania and other parts of the world.

Ethiopian Airlines stands as a traditional and a long-time aviation partner with Tanzania for about 40 years, and has been linking Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro in northern Tanzania with other parts of the world, including American, European, and Asian cities.

The Airline operates daily flights between Dar es Salaam and its hub of Addis Ababa with an extra 5 flights per week at Kilimanjaro International Airport, targeting tourist flows in northern Tanzania. This has brought the air service schedule to 12 flights per week in which Ethiopian Airlines operates to Tanzania.

South African Airways has increased its flights between Johannesburg and Dar es Salaam twice, making it to operate two daily flights between the two cities. This brings to 14 flights per week under South African Airways (SAA) in its Tanzania’s airspace.

Regional General Manager for South African Airways (SAA) in Tanzania Aaron Munetsi, said his airline has plans to introduce direct flights from Johannesburg to Mwanza on the shores of Lake Victoria and Mbeya in the southern highlands of Tanzania which is famous for agricultural production.

He said SAA operations in Tanzania have been successful in improved tourism and business relations between South Africa and Tanzania.

Turkish Airlines is as well, a newcomer to Tanzania’s airspace, connecting Tanzania and key European cities.

Other global airlines operating in Tanzanian airspace are Kenya Airways, Rwandair, Swiss International, and Royal KLM Airlines. Fasjet is the recent newcomer to Tanzania’s airspace with successful domestic flights.

On its part, Tanzania had lost its international routes after the collapse of Air Tanzania, the country’s national airline.

Air Seychelles is landing in Tanzania today with great hopes of connecting the Indian Ocean Island of Seychelles to East Africa’s premier wildlife parks and the tourist island of Zanzibar, aviation analysts say.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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