AIR TANZANIA CONSIDERING ZANZIBAR – COMOROS FLIGHTS
(Posted 14th June 2015)
Air Tanzania has, while attending a three day investment and trade mission from Tanzania to the island, agreed to consider the launch of direct flights between Zanzibar and the Comoros.
The airline, as was reported here, only recently announced an increase of flights between Dar es Salaam and the Comoros to eight per week and the new flights could be launched before the end of the year, going by comments attributed to Air Tanzania’s Johnson Mfinanga.
No details could however be obtained if the Zanzibar to Comoros flights would be combined with a Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar service, then going on to Moroni before returning the same way, nor if such flights would be offered over and above the present 8 schedule weekly flights.
Trade between the Comoros and Tanzania has significantly increased over the years, as has travel both ways and several trade and investment missions in the recent past have helped to raise awareness of new opportunities for the respective business communities.
Air Tanzania presently operated one leased Bombardier CRJ200 jet while their owned Bombardier Q400 is undergoing heavy maintenance, impacting on the airline’s ability to offer services to a number of domestic destinations normally served by the turboprop aircraft. While repeatedly in the past referring to plans to acquire more aircraft and widen the network, has this not taken place as yet. Instead has the airline time and again depended on government bailouts to emerge from deep financial troubles which have been plaguing Air Tanzania for many years now.
