Terminal III set to begin operations August, next year

SEBASTIAN MRINDOKO

This was unveiled in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Dr Shaban Mwinjaka, at the launch of the Abu Dhabi-registered airline, Etihad Airways daily flights between Dar es Salaam and Abu Dhabi.

“The government is committed to improve airport infrastructures to cater for the rising demand of aviation services and handle more domestic and international flights,” he said adding that the industry has posted an annual passengers’ growth of 12 per cent, one of the highest in the region.

Dar es Salaam is Etihad Airways’ third departure point in East Africa along with Nairobi and Entebbe and it’s the ninth destination in the continent. The gulf carrier adds to the list of growing Middle East carriers eyeing Tanzanian and African airspace.

The Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) Director, Mr Thomas Haule, said the introduction of Etihad Airways is increasing the number of gulf carriers and filling the vacuum of some European carriers that pulled out recently.

“JNIA is one of the most secure airports in Africa,” Mr Haule assured Etihad Airways in his opening remarks. The flights will be connecting the Tanzanian capital with 45 destinations across the Middle East, Europe, the Indian Subcontinent, North and Southern Asia and Australia through daily flight.

Etihad Airways’ Senior Vice- President-Global Sales Mr Daniel Barranger said, “The inauguration of direct flights to Dar es Salaam is consistent with our strategy of targeting areas with strong growth in emerging markets”.

He said Dar es Salaam was a wonderful destination for tourists seeking to experience the great culture and history of Tanzania, gateway to numerous national and international tourist attractions including the wildlife rich national parks, Mount Kilimanjaro and the spice island of Zanzibar.

Etihad Airways joins the list of a growing number of Middle East registered airlines lobbying East African skies. Dar es Salaam will be Etihad Airways’ 110th destination globally and its 11th destination in Africa and the Indian Ocean, reports from the airline’s head office in Abu Dhabi said.

The daily flights will be operated with Airbus A320 aircraft and set to attract more passengers from Tanzania and its neighbouring states.