Change in Fortunes for the Tanzania Aviation Industry

AirTanzania
AirTanzania
Written by Alain St.Ange

Tanzania wants Indian Tourists. And this opportunity signals a change in Fortunes for the Tanzania Aviation Industry.

Tanzania’s National carrier Air Tanzania, revived barely two years ago, as it seeks to play a bigger role in the regional African aviation market, which is dominated by Ethiopia, Kenya, and Rwanda.

Tanzania’s maiden Dreamliner aircraft is set to land at the Julius Nyerere International Airport on the afternoon of Monday July 9, having delayed its delivery by two days. The plane successfully underwent its runway test flight at the Paine field in Seattle, Washington last week and will be accompanied by executives from its manufacturers Boeing and its Trent engine manufacturer, Rolls-Royce.They are expected to be received by Tanzania’s President John Magufuli.

The airplane is scheduled to touch down on Monday at 3pm local time, having completed a 22-hour flight through Europe to fuel. Air Tanzania’s new Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner will be powered by the latest version of the Trent 1000 TEN (Thrust, Efficiency and New Technology).  This engine will power all three versions of the Boeing 787 and offers up to three per cent lower fuel burn than its competitors.

The engine helps the Dreamliner to achieve 20 per cent greater efficiency than the aircraft it replaces, as well as halving the noise footprint of previous-generation aircraft. The plane, christened “Kilimanjaro-Hapa kazi tu,” will now see Air Tanzania start operating intercontinental routes to Mumbai starting in September.

Change in fortunes

Two weeks ago, the airlines commercial and business development director Patrick Ndekana said the Dreamliner aircraft will fly to Mumbai three times a week — its first flight outside the continent.

In March, Air Tanzania said that the 787 Dreamliner will be its flagship aircraft as it renews and grows its fleet.

The Air Tanzania fleet improvement programme, which The EastAfrican has seen, includes purchase of six aircraft including three Bombardier DASH8 Q400s — two of which were delivered in September 2016, and which it now uses for its domestic routes between Dar es Salaam and the Comoros islands, Mwanza, Kigoma and Mtwara.

It also received one Bombardier DASH8 Q400 in June last year. The plan shows that by July, Air Tanzania should be operating a fleet of seven aircraft as it has been operating one Bombardier DASH8 Q300 since 2011.

The airline will also be receiving two more new Bombardier CS300s after the country’s flight agency finalised purchase agreements with American manufacturer Boeing Commercial Airplanes and Canada’s Bombardier Inc.

Two years ago, Tanzania decided to develop a programme for revamping its national carrier, which included buying six new aircraft between 2016 and 2018, payment of debts and provision of start-up capital, improvement and modernisation of business systems.

WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:

  • The Air Tanzania fleet improvement programme, which The EastAfrican has seen, includes purchase of six aircraft including three Bombardier DASH8 Q400s — two of which were delivered in September 2016, and which it now uses for its domestic routes between Dar es Salaam and the Comoros islands, Mwanza, Kigoma and Mtwara.
  • Tanzania’s National carrier Air Tanzania, revived barely two years ago, as it seeks to play a bigger role in the regional African aviation market, which is dominated by Ethiopia, Kenya, and Rwanda.
  • The plane successfully underwent its runway test flight at the Paine field in Seattle, Washington last week and will be accompanied by executives from its manufacturers Boeing and its Trent engine manufacturer, Rolls-Royce.

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About the author

Alain St.Ange

Alain St Ange has been working in the tourism business since 2009. He was appointed as the Director of Marketing for Seychelles by President and Minister of Tourism James Michel.

He was appointed as the Director of Marketing for Seychelles by President and Minister of Tourism James Michel. After one year of

After one year of service, he was promoted to the position of CEO of the Seychelles Tourism Board.

In 2012 the Indian Ocean Vanilla Islands regional Organization was formed and St Ange was appointed as the first president of the organization.

In a 2012 cabinet re-shuffle, St Ange was appointed as Minister of Tourism and Culture which he resigned on 28 December 2016 in order to pursue a candidacy as Secretary General of the World Tourism Organisation.

At the UNWTO General Assembly in Chengdu in China, a person who was being sought after for the “Speakers Circuit” for tourism and sustainable development was Alain St.Ange.

St.Ange is the former Seychelles Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine who left office in December last year to run for the position of Secretary General of the UNWTO. When his candidature or document of endorsement was withdrawn by his country just a day before the elections in Madrid, Alain St.Ange showed his greatness as a speaker when he addressed the UNWTO gathering with grace, passion, and style.

His moving speech was recorded as the one on the best marking speeches at this UN international body.

African countries often remember his Uganda address for the East Africa Tourism Platform when he was a guest of honor.

As former Tourism Minister, St.Ange was a regular and popular speaker and was often seen addressing forums and conferences on behalf of his country. His ability to speak ‘off the cuff’ was always seen as a rare ability. He often said he speaks from the heart.

In Seychelles he is remembered for a marking address at the official opening of the island’s Carnaval International de Victoria when he reiterated the words of John Lennon famous song… ” you may say I am a dreamer, but I am not the only one. One day you will all join us and the world will be better as one”. The world press contingent gathered in Seychelles on the day ran with the words by St.Ange which made headlines everywhere.

St.Ange delivered the keynote address for the “Tourism & Business Conference in Canada”

Seychelles is a good example for sustainable tourism. This is therefore not surprising to see Alain St.Ange being sought after as a speaker on the international circuit.

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