Photo: Daily News
Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) plane.
By Alvar Mwakyusa
AFTER
successful launch of new routes in Zambia and Zimbabwe, the national
carrier, Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL), is set to expand its wings
in the southern African region with flights to
Johannesburg, South
Africa in June this year.
At present, the
revamped national airline operates in ten domestic routes as well as
regional flights to Bujumbura in Burundi, Entebbe in Uganda and the
Comoros.
It currently
transports 50,000 passengers each month. In addition, the company said
yesterday that it had finalized all legal and commercial procedures to
enable it launch flights to Mumbai in India on July 11, this year,
according to ATCL's Head of Public Relations, Mr Josephat Kagirwa.
"Starting June 28 ATCL will be operating flights to Johannesburg four
times a week.
The company is also
making final touches to start flying to China," Mr Kagirwa explained
during a news conference at the company offices in Dar es Salaam
yesterday.
Domestically, Mr
Kagirwa said the company is currently studying the possibility of
starting new routes to Tanga, Musoma, Mpanda and Pemba airports. Just
recently, the company resumed flights to Mtwara and Iringa airports.
At present, Air
Tanzania flies to 10 airports inside Tanzania, using its three
'Bombardier Q 400' planes that have the carrying capacity of 76
passengers, considerably improving domestic travel.
The airline also
operates between Dar es Salaam and Entebbe via Kilimanjaro International
Airport (KIA) by using its Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
Meanwhile, Mr
Kagirwa said the company is working closely with government authorities
on the safety of flying to Mtwara given the looming Tropical Cyclone
Kenneth which is forecasted to make its landfall in north Mozambique by
midday tomorrow.
"If there is any
alert for cancellation of flights we will inform our passengers," he
explained, stressing that no plane takes off before checking with
weather agency.
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