Air Tanzania in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, will be the first airline based in Africa to operate GTF engines and the A220 aircraft.
The United Republic of Tanzania, represented by the Tanzanian Government Flight Agency (TGFA) signed an agreement for two Pratt & Whitney GTF-powered Airbus A220 aircraft and one Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150-powered Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft in December 2016.
The airline will be utilizing the aircraft for domestic and international operations, expanding their routes and growing beyond Africa.
While Air Tanzania is well known to the Pratt & Whitney family, having previously operated Pratt & Whitney-powered Q300 and Q400 aircraft, we are embarking on a new journey together as they take delivery of their first GTF-powered A220 aircraft said Rick Deurloo, senior vice president of sales, marketing and customer support at Pratt & Whitney.
The impact this airline will make on the region with the operation of these two aircraft is truly notable. The GTF engines offer proven economic and environmental benefits with the ability to fly farther with less fuel, making Air Tanzania’s decision to expand their route network a viable solution.
We look forward to growing this relationship together. The A220, exclusively powered by the GTF engine, offers double-digit improvement in operating costs compared to current generation aircraft.
It’s 20% more fuel efficient and provides a 75% reduction in noise footprint and NOx emissions 50% below the ICAO CAEP 6 regulation.
Representatives from the airline as well as officials from the United Republic of Tanzania Government alongside executives from the A220 program handed over the A220 from the Mirabel assembly line.
The A220 unrivalled passenger comfort combined with its remarkable performance and economics will be an excellent asset to further develop Air Tanzania’s network,” said Tito Kasambala, Acting CEO, Tanzanian Government Flight Agency (TGFA).
The A220 will allow Air Tanzania to further develop its domestic and regional market as well as open new routes to India and the Middle East from its home base Dar es Salaam.
With the addition of the A220 in our fleet we are confident that we will expand our footprint in the growing African markets and beyond, as we unlock additional routes and regain our position as a key player in the African air transport market, added Ladislaus Matindi, Managing Director & CEO, Air Tanzania Company Limited.
Air Tanzania becomes the fifth airline globally with an A220 family aircraft.
Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) is the flag carrier airline of Tanzania based in Dar es Salaam with its hub at Julius Nyerere International Airport.
It was established as Air Tanzania Corporation (ATC) in 1977 after the dissolution of East African Airways and has been a member of the African Airlines Association since its inception.
The airline was wholly owned by the Tanzanian Government until 2002 when it was partially privatised as per the directive of the Bretton Woods Institutions to implement the country's Structural Adjustment Program. The government therefore reduced its shareholding to 51 percent and entered into a partnership with South African Airways.
The partnership lasted for about four years and had accumulated losses of more than Tsh 24 billion (US$19 million). The government repurchased the shares in 2006 and it is once again a wholly owned government company.
Over the years, it has served a variety of domestic, regional, and intercontinental destinations. Despite being the national airline, its market share has deteriorated over the years from 19.2 percent in 2009 to 0.4 percent in 2011.
In 2016 the Tanzanian government under the leadership of President Dr. John Pombe Magufuli initiated a new drive to revive the national carrier, as part of a pledge made during the election campaigns the previous year.
The government purchased two brand new Bombardier Q400 for the national carrier which were delivered in September 2016. In December the same year the President's office announced that a further four aircraft would be purchased for the national carrier, with deliveries set for June 2018.
Air Tanzania's market share for 2017 went up to 24% from 2.5% the previous year.
Tourism Observer
No comments:
Post a Comment