Airports: Kenya vs Tanzania

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How airlines fared amid Covid crisis​

By Alex Nelson Malanga
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Dar es Salaam. Cutthroat competition characterised civil aviation in Tanzania airlines last year as operators sought to stay afloat amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

A new report says that Air Tanzania Company Ltd (ATCL), Auric Air Services and Assalaam Air (Z) Limited managed to up their marketshares during the period.

As the pandemic bit hard, the number of tourist arrivals plunged, forcing Precision Air and Coastal Travel Limited - which are considered feeder airlines - to reduce their capacities, leading to reductions in their market shares.

As it is, a number of passengers who took flights last year dwindled by 50 percent - to 2.8 million - compared to 2019, according to the latest report of the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA).

The report says that the national carrier’s market share rose to 47.7 percent last year, from the 42 percent recorded in the preceding year, making it remain at the top as the market leader.

During the period, Auric Air managed to capture 10.1 percent of the market, up from 8.5 percent.

Assalaam Air, too, managed to get 5.3 percent of the market share compared to the previous 4.2 percent.

Interestingly, despite dropping its market share from 28.8 percent to 26 percent, Precision Air remained at second place in market dominance, after ATCL.

On the other hand, Coastal Travel’s market share dropped from 6.1 percent to 3.5 percent.

ATCL managing director Ladislaus Matindi said yesterday that the improvement in its market share was attributed to an increase in the airline’s destinations and frequencies, as well as quality but also affordable services.

“To attract more passengers, we expanded our destinations by launching new Mpanda and Geita routes, and resuming our flights to Songea, bringing the total of our domestic destinations to 15,” Mr Matindi told The Citizen.

Precision Air’s commercial director, Ms Lilian Masawe, linked the slight decrease in market share to a cut in flying capacity due to a fall in the number of tourists coming to the country.

“About 60-70 percent of our performance is much linked with tourism. We had to reduce our capacity significantly,” Ms Masawe told The Citizen, citing the Zanzibar-Arusha and Zanzibar-Kilimajaro routes as examples.

With the fall in demand, she explained, Precision Air was forced to use more of ATR 42-500 than ATR 72-500 aircraft in the market.

Again, she added, they had to cut the number of aircraft in the market from six during normal flight schedules to three.

Noting that their survival depended significantly on international airlines which bring in tourists, the Coastal Travels’ managing director, Captain Maynard Mkumbwa, said that - what with the Covid-19 pandemic stillrampaging - they were compelled to cancel flights and/or cut flight frequencies. “From April to June last year, we cancelled almost all flights in routes with loss-making elements,” Captain Mkumbwa told The Citizen. He cited some of the affected routes as Zanzibar, Mafia and Arusha, as well as the Serengeti, Ruaha, Selous and Lake Manyara wildlife reserves.

“We have resumed all the flights, but at decreased frequencies,” he stressed.

As it so happened, Coastal Travels had also reduced the number of its aircraft in the market from 19 last year to the current 16, aimed at reducing operational costs.

Last year, the airline - whose monthly number of passengers before Covid-19 stood at an average of 200,000 - was operating at 30 percent of the pre-pandemic capacity.

How airlines fared amid Covid crisis

Cutthroat competition characterised civil aviation in Tanzania airlines last year as operators sought to stay afloat amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

www.thecitizen.co.tz

 

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Air Tanzania steps up competition for KQ with new aircraft, routes​

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Summary​

• Tanzania has received two Airbus 220-300, in addition to two others, in readiness to increase international flights both within and outside the continent.

By ROSEMARY MIRONDO
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Air Tanzania will launch direct flights to Nairobi, Bujumbura and Lubumbashi in November, stepping up competition for Kenya Airways, which also serves these routes.

The national carrier recently acquired two Airbus A220-300 aircraft, raising its fleet of A220s to four, boosting its plan to introduce more international routes.

The airline will operate two daily flights from its Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam to the Kenyan capital Nairobi starting November 26.

“Last week, we brought in two new flights that were received in Zanzibar, namely Airbus 220-300 with a capacity of 132 passengers and take-off weight of 68.9 tonnes. They also have entertainment segments for both adults and children,” Josephat Kagirwa, the airline’s spokesperson, told journalists on Wednesday.

The airline will fly to Burundi starting November 8. It will also operate three flights a week to Ndola in Zambia and the eastern DR Congo city of Lubumbashi, respectively, from November 18.

On the domestic routes, Air Tanzania says it will add a Dar to Mwanza flight with a loop to the capital Dodoma from November 5.

The carrier will also resume three flights a week to Mtwara from November 10. Flights on the southeastern coast city had been suspended to allow for airport maintenance.

Air Tanzania currently operates 12 domestic routes, namely Zanzibar, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Geita, Bukoba, Kigoma, Mpanda, Mbeya, Tabora, Dodoma, and Songea.

On the international routes, the airline flies to Uganda, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Comoros in the continent, and Mumbai, India, and Guangzhou, China.

Kenya Airways has at least four daily flights to Dar es Salaam, five to Entebbe, four to Lusaka and at least one daily flight to Livingstone (Zambia). KQ also flies to two other cities in Zambia.

Air Tanzania steps up competition for KQ with new aircraft, routes

Air Tanzania will launch direct flights to Nairobi, Bujumbura and Lubumbashi in November, stepping up competition for Kenya Airways.

www.theeastafrican.co.ke

 

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Air Tanzania to fly Nairobi and Lubumbashi routes​

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 13 2021​

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Summary​

• The announcement comes after Tanzania on Friday October 8 received a delivery of two Airbus A220-300 aircraft to make up a group of four A220s in its fleet.
• The last time that the national carrier flew to Nairobi was in 2006 the only Tanzania registered carrier flying the route has been Precision Air

By Rosemary Mirondo
More by this Author

Dar es Salaam. Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) has on Wednesday October, 13 announced it is starting new local and international routes with effect from November.

The announcement comes after Tanzania on Friday October 8 received a delivery of two Airbus A220-300 aircraft to make up a group of four A220s in its fleet.

Speaking to journalists ATCL spokesperson, Josephat Kagirwa said the new international routes will include Dar es Salaam to Bujumbura that starts on November 8, and Dar es Salaam to Ndola Zambia and Lubumbashi starting from November 18.

The carrier will also launch a new route to Kenya’s capital Nairobi on November 26, the last time that ATCL flew the route was in 2006.

He noted that they will also resume flights to Mtwara on November 10, after they suspended the route as a result of airport maintenance which has been completed while at the same time they will start a new route starting Dar es Salaam via Dodoma to Mwanza on November 5.

This he said was part of the company’s five-year strategic plan that started in 2017 which included expanding and starting new trips as a result of increasing its fleet size.

"Last week we brought in two new flights that were received in Zanzibar namely Airbus 220-300 with a capacity of 132 passengers and take off weight of 68.9 tons, they also have entertainment segments for both adults and children,” he said.

He noted that currently they have 13 domestic flights to Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Arusha, Kilimanajro, Mwanza,, Geita, Bukoba, Kigoma, Mpanda, Mbeya, Tabora, Dodoma, and Songea.

Internationally, ATC flies to Entebbe, Harare, Lusaka, Hahaya, Mumbai and Guangzou.

In another development, he admitted that their flights have been delaying to take off mostly caused by flight technicalities.

"To ensure our passengers travel safely we cannot allow our planes to take off when a fault has been discovered, but we are working on it to ensure we arrive on time and take off on time," he said.

Air Tanzania to fly Nairobi and Lubumbashi routes

Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) has on Wednesday October, 13 announced it is starting new local and international routes with effect from November.

www.thecitizen.co.tz

 

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Dar orders five planes to bolster Air Tanzania​

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Summary​

• Aviation industry sources told The EastAfrican that the funds were approved by the current government despite heavy losses incurred by the carrier under a revival programme initiated by former president John Magufuli and effects of Covid-19 pandemic.
• The planes, once they arrive in the country, will raise Air Tanzania's current fleet size to 16.
• Zanzibar President Hussein Mwinyi disclosed the plans to purchase the additional five aircraft while receiving the latest Airbuses.

By BOB KARASHANI
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Tanzania has made a down payment of Tsh596.3 billion ($258.7 million) for the purchase of five aircraft for its struggling national carrier Air Tanzania.

The order includes cargo planes, which are all expected to be delivered before the end of 2023.

Aviation industry sources told The EastAfrican that the funds were approved by the current government despite heavy losses incurred by the carrier under a revival programme initiated by former president John Magufuli and effects of Covid-19 pandemic.

The planes, once they arrive in the country, will raise Air Tanzania's current fleet size to 16.

In addition to two new Airbus A220-300s received earlier this month, the airline's stable comprises two Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners, two other Airbus A220-300s and five Bombardier Q-400/Dash 8-400s.

Zanzibar President Hussein Mwinyi disclosed the plans to purchase the additional five aircraft while receiving the latest Airbuses, named ‘Zanzibar’ and ‘Tanzanite’ respectively, on behalf of President Samia Suluhu at Zanzibar's Abeid Amani Karume International Airport on October 8.

He said the process was already "under way" but did not offer details.

The announcement coincides with a pledge by the President Suluhu's administration to push her predecessor's plans to revamp the airline and bolster Tanzania's aviation industry through new investment.

At the same time, Air Tanzania announced four new regional routes to be launched next month from Dar es Salaam to Bujumbura, Ndola, Lubumbashi and Nairobi.

Dar-Bujumbura flights are scheduled to start on November 8 while the Dar-Ndola and Dar-Lubumbashi routes will be launched on November 18 and Dar-Nairobi on November 26.

The airline currently provides regional flights to Entebbe, Harare, Lusaka, and Hahaya and a weekly cargo flights to Guangzhou, China.

It suspended the Dar-Mumbai route in May due to concerns over a spike in Covid-19 third strain cases in India, but resumed them at the end of August.

Flights to Johannesburg were also cancelled over Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Despite a massive outlay of close to $600 million on new aircraft, Air Tanzania’s revival has continued to flounder, a situation exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.

Dar orders five planes to bolster Air Tanzania

The order includes cargo planes, which are all expected to be delivered before the end of 2023.

www.theeastafrican.co.ke

 

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State Aviation granted permit to offer chopper services to Zanzibar​

October 18, 2021
18Oct 2021
Geoffrey Nangai
Dar es Salaam
Business
The Guardian

State Aviation granted permit to offer chopper services to Zanzibar

NON-scheduled charter services provider, State Aviation Limited has been granted permission by Zanzibar to offer helicopter services to passengers travelling to Dar es Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International Airport, Unguja’s Abeid Amani Karume International Airport and Pemba Airport.

State Aviation Limited’s COO, Amour Abdallah.

Speaking to The Guardian last week, State Aviation’s Chief Operating Officer, Amour Abdallah said the helicopter services will act as a catalyst in boosting Zanzibar’s tourism potential. “We have commenced offering helicopter services in Zanzibar this month to high-end tourists who prefer to use charter services from the airport to their hotels. This does not only save their time but also gives them a unique aerial viewing experience,” Abdallah said.

He explained that the helicopter services will also help in complementing the Isles government’s blue economy initiative. “We have started operations with a single engine helicopter but we will be adding another twin engine helicopter to cater for high-end passengers especially tourists,” he added.

The State Aviation’s COO, hinted that the company will introduce a seven days unique insurance emergency and evacuation scheme dubbed ‘Medevac’ geared towards ensuring tourists’ safety while in Zanzibar. Abdallah said the scheme that will only cost U$15 (approximately 35,000/-) will cater for evacuations in case of emergency.

“We will be launching this scheme in Zanzibar as a pilot but we expect to roll it out to Tanzania Mainland in the near future. This will ensure that tourists enjoy stress free travel,” he stated while noting that in case of emergency, tourists with valid Medevac Schemes will be airlifted by the company's helicopters to hospitals.

State Aviation started operations in the country two years ago and has since been offering a wide range of chopper services mainly targeting the tourism, mining, oil and gas industries. The company has also been serving as an infrastructure operational support for emergency response, search and rescue missions. The company was established with an objective to serve high-impact designated industries in the country which are dependent on reliable, safe and cost-effective helicopter, based support.

https://www.ippmedia.com/en/business/state-aviation-granted-permit-offer-chopper-services-zanzibar

 

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Etihad to start flights to Johannesburg, Cape Town and Zanzibar from Abu Dhabi​

By Varun Godinho
September 30, 2021

Etihad Airways said on Thursday that it would start flights to three destinations – Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa as well as Zanzibar – from Abu Dhabi in November.

To mark the announcement, it has launched a sale on fares to these three destinations, valid until midnight on October 6, 2021. The sale price of return fares start from Dhd995 in Economy and Dhs3,995 in Business class.

The carrier will start flights to Johannesburg, South Africa’s biggest city, from November 25. Simultaneously, it will launch flights to Cape Town. Both destinations will operate thrice weekly on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The route will be serviced by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

Flight	Origin	Departs	Destination	Arrives	Frequency	Aircraft
EY 602	Abu Dhabi	02:00	Johannesburg	08:15	Monday Thursday Saturday	Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
EY 602	Johannesburg	09:35	Cape Town	11:45	Monday Thursday Saturday	Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
EY 601	Cape Town	15:30	Johannesburg	17:40	Monday Thursday Saturday	Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner
EY 601	Johannesburg	19:00	Abu Dhabi	05:05 +1	Monday Thursday Saturday	Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

The new service to Zanzibar meanwhile will operate from November 26. The scheduled flights will operate on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays on the airline’s Airbus A320 aircraft.

Flight	Origin	Departs	Destination	Arrives	Frequency	Aircraft
EY 637	Abu Dhabi	02:00	Zanzibar	07:00	Tuesday Friday Sunday	Airbus A320
EY 638	Zanzibar	22:30	Abu Dhabi	05:05 +1	Tuesday Friday Sunday	Airbus A320

The three new additions to Etihad’s network mean the UAE’s national carrier will be operating to 70 destinations across 47 countries.

“Johannesburg is an important route on our network and offers vital connectivity to and from the southern African region. On the southern coast, Cape Town is a breathtaking part of the world, with something to offer the most discerning traveller. Likewise, the beautiful island of Zanzibar will complement our network to the Maldives and Seychelles,” said Tony Douglas, group CEO of Etihad.

Earlier this week, the airline confirmed that it would upgrade its Seychelles service from four to five weekly flights from October 7, as well as operate seven additional services between October 15-24, to coincide with the half-term holidays.

While Seychelles is on Abu Dhabi’s green list, South Africa and Zanzibar are currently not on it.

Vaccinated citizens, residents and visitors coming from green destinations must take a PCR test on arrival in Abu Dhabi without needing to quarantine, and undergo another test on day 6, if staying in the emirate.

Meanwhile, unvaccinated citizens, residents and visitors, including those exempt from vaccination, arriving into Abu Dhabi from green list destinations must take a PCR test on arrival, without the need to quarantine, and repeat PCR tests on days 6 and 9. Those arriving from other destinations must take a PCR test on arrival, quarantine for 10 days and undergo another PCR test on day 9.

All travellers, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, will be required to present a negative PCR test result from within 48 hours of departure, before boarding for Abu Dhabi.

Etihad to start flights to Johannesburg, Cape Town and Zanzibar from Abu Dhabi

The carrier will start the thrice-weekly flights to Johannesburg and Cape Town on November 25, and to Zanzibar the following day.

gulfbusiness.com

 

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