TANZANIA|: Air Tanzania Plans To Fly To New Domestic Routes

With now three Bombardier turboprop aircraft in operation, two brand new Q400NG's and one Q300,Air Tanzania increased their flights to key destinations on domestic routes so far.

ATCL will however add more routes next year, with flights to Mtwara - Tanzania's gas capital - Dodoma - the country's political capital - but also Songea and Tabora named.

Out of the airline's hub in Dar es Salaam, where next year the new international terminal will open its doors, does Air Tanzania presently serve Kilimanjaro/ Arusha, Mwanza and Zanzibar while the only international route flown is the Comoros islands.

Another Bombardier Q400NG has joined the fleet - expected in 2017, will the airline consider returning to regional routes like to Entebbe and Nairobi.

The delivery of two Bombardier C300 jets, due to join the fleet either in the second half of 2017 or early 2018, will then open the doors for flights to other African destinations and possibly as far as Dubai, currently only served by foreign airlines like FlyDubai and Emirates.

The Tanzanian government has over the past months paid nearly 300 million US Dollars for the purchase of a total of five Bombardier aircraft and the down payment to Boeing of a 10 million US Dollars commitment fee for a B787 Dreamliner due for delivery in the second half of 2018.

Domestic competition is said to be fierce now as two other airlines, besides the safari airlines like Auric and Coastal, vie for market share, among them Precision Air and Fastjet. Travelers can expect special deals and low fares for the time being as the battle for the Tanzanian skies takes a new dimension.

GHANA: Minister Promotes Ghana Tourism Using Ethiopia Airways

Mrs. Genet Michael, Area Manager of the Ethiopian Airlines in Ghana, paid a courtesy Mrs. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, the Minister of Tourism, culture and Creative Arts.

The Minister of Tourism, culture and Creative Arts, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has asked management of Ethiopian Airlines to introduce Ghallywood movies on board Ethiopian Airlines flights to Accra.

She made this request when the Area Manager of the Airline in Ghana, Mrs Genet Michael paid a courtesy call on her in Accra.

The call was to deepen the relationship between Ghana and Ethiopia.

The Minister thanked management of the Airline for the support to the country and tourism, which she said thrives on good aviation operations.

She, therefore, called on management of the Airline to help promote the Ghanaian Culture internationally by showing Ghanaian movies and tourism offerings on board and also serve Ghanaian dishes.

She promised to set up a meeting to look at the implementation of the cooperation between the Ministry and the Airline, since the Airline was a sponsor of the Accra Millennium Marathon that saw the participation of Marathon Legend Gabresellasie.

Ethiopian Airlines operates daily flights to Accra with the most modern aircraft that flies into Ghana, the B787 Dreamliner.

Mrs Michael explained that management of the Airline wants to work with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts to bring more tourists to Ghana.

Management of the Airline also extended an invitation to the Minister to enable her visit Ethiopia for the introduction of the Airbus in February next year.

The Airbus to be introduced was tested in Addis Ababa recently.

This comes as Ethiopian Airlines will once again be the first African Airline to fly the newest plane in the world.

Ethiopian Airline has 13 planes and has ordered 10 A350 from Airbus.

ETHIOPIA: Ethiopian Airlines Has Now Completed Installation Of Flight Simulator For Boeing B777

Ethiopian Airlines has now completed the installation of a flight simulator for Boeing B777 aircraft, the fifth such training equipment at their aviation academy.

Other models are dedicated to the Boeing B757/767 series, the Boeing B737NG, the Bombardier Q 400 and the Boeing B787 Dreamliner, effectively completing inhouse cockpit crew training facilities for all the aircraft types flown and operated by the airline.

It is also understood that Ethiopian is planning to add a flight simulator for the training of their A350 pilots as this aircraft type, the first such order with European aircraft manufacturer Airbus, will commence towards the middle of next year.

In addition, prior to the launch of Boeing’s B737MAX, the neo version of the world’s most successful aircraft family, this type will also be featured with a separate simulator version at the academy.

Ethiopian does not only train their own pilots on simulators but is also running the academy as a commercial entity for other airlines and many African airlines are sending their cockpit crews for the mandatory simulator training which is required to retain their licenses and flight status.