Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Air Tanzania to launch Lusaka flights this week

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Air Tanzania says it will this week start flights to Lusaka, Zambia, and Harare, Zimbabwe.

Air Tanzania Company Ltd Chief Executive Officer Ladislaus Matindi said that with six aircraft on its fleet, international flights have only been delayed by the challenges of IATA membership — which have since been finalised — and getting onto the GDS (global distribution system), which the airline hopes to finalise soon.

The company has two Airbus planes and a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which are to be deployed on routes to China and India, Mr Matindi said.

Connecting to the GDS will help the airline to embark on intercontinental routes as the system will now allow it access to the international reservations network.

When the process is completed, the airline can start flying to China and India as of next month.

“We have now been able to connect to three GDS firms, including Travel Port, a European one and a Chinese one. We are also in the final stages of agreements with Amadeus and Sabre,” Mr Matindi said.

Air Tanzania’s entry into Southern Africa is boosted by its growing fleet, with two Airbus A220s received in just over a month.

It is expecting its second Dreamliner later in the year, which it plans to deploy on the India and China routes.

But it says it will also be vying for a share of the African market.

“We are also looking at flying to Nairobi and the Democratic Republic of Congo before the year ends, while remaining on course to introduce flights to London, the UAE and Oman over the next two years,” Mr Matindi added.

17 COMMENTS

    • Meanwhile Zambian govt is thinking of selling 20% shares for $700milion and close a $1.4 billion court case…how they can even think about it is just unbelievable.

    • Air Tanzania, Air Rwanda and Air Botswana all launching new flights to Lusaka but the LT conference here keeps telling us the new Zambia Airways is not a viable prospect for the smart people of the Zambian Enterprise.

      Go figure … low libido, low self-confidence, low self-esteem, low IQ, low class, low everything dimwits we have here.

      Heaven help us all …

    • Look at this ignorant chap above …really laughable…Air Rwanda has never published its Financial end of year statements..what does that tell you as a banker JUNIOR???

    • Mumba, all these airlines have restructured and reorganised themselves. Africa is the biggest growing market coming the next fifty years. I have thought the best thing would have been to have ZA back but look at the team already, all former dehydrated brains that have not brought any glory to the country. Old hags waiting to milk again and all this corruption tag with Zambia doesn’t do us any better. Only my opinion pls. With the calibre of the PF government leaders, we are not ready ( most lack basic education and act on emotion to make decisions or want to make money) A very dangerous precedent is being set now. God Bless Zambia

    • Throwing money on useless projects. Very few airlines in the world are viable. It is a perpetual loss making fake prestige business.

    • Mumba use you connections on the corporate world stage to finance the inception of ZA on behalf of you country on a pilot basis. The dillydallying is all about money, as I see it.

  1. At least we know where Tanzanian govt got its money from to procure these jets from the tax windfall it slapped on the mine that evaded tax…I feel they are better off using the funds for something tangible.
    Zambia is adequately serviced with all these airlines scrambling for airspace whilst protecting their space…why one would want to create an airline i this competitive market is just brainless.

  2. So now when I want fly to Dar no more flying via Nairobi? Not such a bad idea, for me that is, but not so sure if they can make a profit out of passenger me and passenger Jay Jay …. kikikikiki

  3. Botswana Airways! Now Tanzania Airs! Next will be Virgin….Massive investment in infrastructure such as modern airports and roads have now started paying off.

  4. All these airlines coming to Zambia does not necessarily make a good case for Zambia Airways but the exact opposite. They will be more entrenched and already established in the potential routes to Zambia airways could hope to cover and will have more experience, not to mention that the countries of Namibia, Botswana, Tanzania and Rwanda have one thing in common. Visionary leadership that does not condone corruption, so we can expect higher discipline and corporate governance in place in the management of the airlines. This will not be the case for Zambia. Just the lack of transparency and failure to follow-through on the launch date…..has been postponed 4 times….is an indication of the poor operations standards we can expect. If and when it does launch, we will try to be patriotic and…

  5. … patriotic and support it but be rest assured it will not be at the expense of personal security or convenience. If the flights will be unreliable I will revert to SAA and RwandAir

  6. @ Cat power
    You chaps are too negative and condemns everything PF Government does and you expect to be considered for cream jobs, my foot. Go and get employed by your perpetual loser since in him you see heaven!

  7. Karibu Air Tanzania! This is a great moment for tourism promotion in the country. Even Air Botswana is back in Zambian skies. More choices of air carriers mans more convenience for travelers.

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