Daily News
AIR Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) is expected to resume its operations in Africa, Middle East and India next month, using a wide body aircraft leased from Air Jamaica. The Managing Director of ATCL, Mr David Mataka has said the nations flag carrier will start flying its newly leased aircraft A320-11 Airbus to South Africa, Dubai and Kuwait routes.
The newly leased plane however is expected to arrive in the country in early March, he said. We are in the final touches to secure the governments guarantee which should be ready by next week, in order to conclude the leasing of the aircraft which is to start its maiden operations next month, he said.
The leasing of the 150 seater plane will cost the company 370,000 US dollars every month, which according to the ATCL Chief Financial Officer; Mr Eliasaph Mathew will boost the net contribution to the company operations. He said that in the first 12 months of services ATCL projects to record a total revenue of 1.7 bn/-, while during the second year the company will realise some 3.5 bn/-.
Earlier, the Airline could not compete as its planes lacked the capacity to carry passengers and cargo simultaneously and was forced to drop one of the two in some destinations, to allow the planes instead to carry more fuel, Mr Mathew said. We will be able to carry passengers not only to Dubai, but to other destinations like Mumbai, India without worries of overload which previously had led to losses, he said.
Mr Mataka further said in the first month of operations, the aircraft would be on a wet lease which means both the pilots and crew will be hired from abroad. As soon as the ATCL personnel complete training, they will take over from the foreigners to continue with the running of the aircraft.
Mr Mataka also refuted reports that the leased plane was not airworthy , saying it was only eleven years since it was built, which is a very young age for an aircraft, even for those being operated by international airlines. He said most of those aircraft had been in operation for more than 16 years.
He further said most of aircrafts currently operating in the country were more than 30 years old and still working perfectly. He added that the plane has also been checked by US Airbus company in collaboration with the local experts, who have established that its aviations' landing gears and engine were in tip top condition.
Meanwhile, ATCL has already acquired two Canadian manufactured Dash 8Q 300 planes owned by a British company that will start operations by the end of February. According to Mr Mataka, the low level noise aircraft with capacity of 60 passengers each will be used on domestic routes. This brings the number of ATCL planes to 5, he said. He sad that the planes would ply Kigoma, Shinyanga and Tabora routes. Other routes include Mwanza, Kilimanjaro and Mtwara.
My Take:
Wakifikishwa mahakamani ndipo watakapoimba!