10:30
AIR TANZANIA COMPANY LIMITED (ATCL) WILL EFFECTIVE NEXT MONTH EXTEND WINGS TO THREE NEW DESTINATIONS TO COPE WITH SOARING DEMAND FOR ITS SERVICES.
ATCL Acting Commercial Director, Juma Boma, told the ‘Daily News’ in Dar es Salaam yesterday the decision to extend wings was based on a thorough market study that established mounting demand for the national carrier’s services despite stiff competition in the aviation industry.
According to a press statement issued yesterday, ATCL said it was expecting to expand its flight services to Mbeya, Mwanza and Bujumbura by early November, this year.
The airline will bring in another plane – CRJ, the Canadian Regional Jet with 50-passenger capacity – to bolster not only the present operations but also serve the newly introduced routes. The leased aircraft will also provide important backup to the operational plane, eliminating the possibility of flight cancellation.
“Even with one plane – the bombardier Dash 8, ATCL has managed to maintain 98 per cent performance of flight operations and schedules in almost six different routes, while ensuring that things like periodic maintenance are observed,” noted Mr Boma.
He said due to limitations in some local airports, ATCL planes cannot operate during the night, the situation that leads to underutilisation of the aircrafts. Under normal circumstances, the plane is supposed to be on air for over 15 hours a day.
Some of the country’s airports that can operate for 24 hours include Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Mwanza international airports. The flight charges in the present and new routes would be affordable to ensure that a good number of medium income earners are able to use the airline services.
“Some airlines charge fixed rates that unrealistic and unsustainable because they do not consider the present cost situation,” said the director.
According to the new schedule, flights to Bujumbura will be on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, while ATCL will fly to Mbeya four times a week – on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Flights to Kigoma will be on daily basis while Tabora will enjoy additional flights on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday and Fridays.
By SEBASTIAN MRINDOKO, Tanzania Daily News
