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ATCL gets 50-seater jet as part of expansion

ATCL chief executive officer Milton Lazaro disembark from the newly acquired 50-seater Canadian CRJ-200 Jet aircraft at Dar es Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International Airport on Thursday.  PHOTO | JENNIFER SUMI

What you need to know:

  • The airline plans to introduce a number of new destinations including Tabora-Mpanda and Mbeya-Dar es Salaam while increasing frequencies on Mwanza- Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam-Comoros, Mtwara and Kigoma routes

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania national flag carrier (Air Tanzania) has acquired a 50-seater Canadian CRJ-200 jet aircraft, as part of implementing its ambitious and aggressive expansion plan.

Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) sees this new development as a step towards achieving its go-green strategy as the aircraft will boost the airline services considerably by opening new routes, increasing flight frequencies to existing routes and assuring reliability to its loyal customers.

Shortly after landing at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam on  Thursday evening, ATCL acting chief executive officer Milton Lazaro said the future of the national flag carrier is bright as it has come up with a workable expansion strategy whose implementation has started.  

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“This aircraft is part of three aircraft we planned to acquire this year. The other two are expected to arrive between April and May this year. The addition of this aircraft to our fleet will enable us to open new frontiers and add more routes into our footprint,” said Mr Lazaro. He said the other two aircraft to be acquired are 78-seater new generation types, which will also be deployed on new national and international routes.  Mr Lazaro said the airline plans to introduce a number of new destinations including Tabora-Mpanda and Mbeya-Dar es Salaam while increasing frequencies on Mwanza- Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam-Comoros, Mtwara and Kigoma routes. “We also intend to open up Tabora–Mpanda route soon,” he said.

He mentioned that the airline has also waived some penalties imposed on no-show passengers or those seeking change of reservation, saying this will save their passengers from incurring extra costs in case they encounter unforeseen emergencies before travelling.

“In a move to support our guests and showing them that we understand our  circumstances and business environment, the airline has decided to waive penalties on passengers who fail to show up at the airport before departure time (No-show penalties) and Reservation alteration penalty,” he said.

According to Mr Lazaro, acquisition of this initial aircraft will increase the airline’s passenger uplift by 30 to 40 per cent, given that the national flag carrier is considered to have the most competitive and affordable fares in the local airline industry.

Using its Bombardier Dash-8, ATCL is currently plying to over 8 destinations that includes Mtwara, Mwanza, Tabora, Kigoma Dar es Salaam, Bujumbura, Mbeya and Moroni in Comoros.

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