KENYA: Jambojet Gets 2018 Bombardier Reliability Award

Mr Allan Kilavuka(middle), CEO, Jambojet and Maureen Okomo, Chief Engineer, Jambojet receive the Bombardier 2018 Airline Reliability Award from Todd Young, Vice President and General Manager, Head of the Q Series Aircraft Program, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.
Jambojet, has been awarded the 2018 Bombardier Reliability Award for outstanding performance.

Jambojet was the only African airline among the thirteen airlines from around the world that were recognised. The award recognizes operators of Bombardier Q Series turboprops who achieve the highest rates of dispatch reliability.

Jambojet Chief Executive officer Mr Allan Kilavuka said the award is an endorsement and acknowledgement of Jambojet’s performance in its operations and aircraft maintenance procedures.

This has been a big year for Jambojet with major milestones in the five years since our establishment. The Bombardier Award further attests to our commitment to deliver on our core values on safety and reliability as the region’s affordable airline, he said.

The Bombardier Reliability Award rewards airlines based on their dispatch reliability. This is the percentage of flights that depart within a specified time of the scheduled departure time.

Airlines global standard uses a 15-minute margin between actual and scheduled departure time for a flight to be considered as having departed on time.

Jambojet’s On-time performance (OTP) currently stands at 81%, one of the highest in Kenya.

We are delighted to congratulate this year’s award recipients for their outstanding performance, said Todd Young, Vice President and General Manager, Head of the Q Series Aircraft Program, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.

We are proud of the strong collaboration between Bombardier, our operators and suppliers and the success it delivers in providing efficient, reliable air service to communities worldwide.

Low-cost carriers have entered the African market in recent in recent years to ensure travellers don’t have to rob banks in order to afford flights.

Travelling by Air is the best and safest mode of transport today. However, despite its perks and comforts Air travel does not come cheap, it is one of the most expensive mode of travelling.

Low-cost carriers have entered the market in recent in recent years to ensure travellers don’t have to rob banks in order to fly, offering affordable flights without compromising on quality.

Below are some of Africa’s leading low-cost airline which offers absolute comfort.

Fastjet Airlines is a British/South African-based holding company for a group of low cost carriers that operate in Africa.

The carrier entered the African space in 2012 and since then they have flown over 2,250,000 passengers to some of southern Africa’s most incredible countries from as little as US$20 one way.

Fastjet offer the lowest possible fares through an ingenious budget model where passengers who make advance booking pay less.

Passengers who want additional services such as food, baggage and seat choices pay extra making it cheaper for to fly for those seeking minimal additions.

Flyjet airlines currently flies to; Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe

It was named Africa’s leading low-cost airline during the World Travel Awards, 2017.

Five Forty Aviation Ltd, trading as Fly540, is a low-cost airline based in Nairobi, Kenya.

The carrier commenced operations in 2006 and offers flights for as low as $50 one way.

Fly540 is East Africa’s premier low cost airline offering scheduled flights all year round to destinations within Kenya, South Sudan and Zanzibar.

Kulula Airlines often referred to as Kulula.com is one of South Africa’s leading low cost airlines based on Johannesburg.

"Kulula" means easy in isZulu and isiXhosa, which explains the airline's approach to booking and flying

It was founded in 2001 and has a fleet of about ten aircrafts.

It is a wholly owned low-cost subsidiary of British Airways Franchisee Comair and was the first privately owned low cost airline in South Africa

Precision Air Services Plc is a Tanzanian airline based at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, with a minihub at Mwanza Airport.

It was established in 1993 and started as a private charter air Transport Company operating a five-seater piper Aztec aircraft.

Its initial line of business mainly entailed providing connections to tourists visiting the rich natural attractions of Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, in northern Tanzania, the Zanzibar Island in the Indian Ocean and other parts of the country from Arusha town as its base.

In 2003 Kenya Airways acquired a minority 49% shareholding leaving majority 51% shares in the control of one local Tanzanian businessman.

Since then, Precision Air has literally turned its image into a professionally run modern regional airline.

It currently flies to parts of Tanzania, Zanzibar, Nairobi and Entebbe with its modern fleet consisting of, Five 70 seater ATR 72-500, Three 48 seater ATR 42-500 and 1 48 seater ATR 42-600.

Mango Airlines SOC Ltd, trading as Mango, is a state-owned South African low-cost airline based at OR Tambo International Airport near Johannesburg and a subsidiary of South African Airways.

Mango first launched end October 2006 with its first flight taking to the skies on 15 November 2006.

It is considered South Africa's most innovative airline and flies between South Africa’s major airports.

Mango also operates twice-weekly flights between Johannesburg and Zanzibar.

According to the airline it is the only airline globally to accept store charge cards in lieu of booking payment and the only African airline to offer on-board Wi-Fi.


Tourism Observer

TANZANIA: Air Tanzania Acquires 787 Dreamliner

Tanzania will finally take delivery of its first Dreamliner aircraft this coming Friday July 6, following two intense years of planning the revival of the national carrier Air Tanzania.

The aircraft, baptised Kilimanjaro-Hapa kazi tu, successfully underwent its maiden runway test flight at the Paine field in Seattle, Washington state.

It was seen at the Paine field undergoing pre-delivery tests on Monday.

The aircraft's delivery will signal a major shift in Tanzania's aviation sector that will see the national career start operating intercontinental flights later this September, with a maiden flight to Mumbai.

This is a major boost to the fortunes of the carrier, revived barely two years ago, as it seeks to play a bigger role in the regional aviation market dominated by Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda.

Last week, the airline's commercial and business development director Patrick Ndekana said that the Dreamliner aircraft will fly to Mumbai thrice a week starting September, its first route outside the continent.

In March, Air Tanzania announced that the 787 Dreamliner will be its flagship as it renews and grows its fleet.

The fleet improvement programme includes the purchasing of six aircraft. These include three Bombardier DASH8 Q400, two of which were delivered in September 2016, and now use for domestic routes between Dar es Salaam and the Comoros islands, Mwanza, Kigoma and Mtwara.

It also received one Bombardier DASH8 Q400 in June last year. The improvement plan shows that by July this year, Air Tanzania will be operating a fleet of seven aircraft as it has been operating one Bombardier DASH8 Q300 since 2011.

We aim to establish our long-haul capability by starting flights to Europe, Asia and the US in the short term and the 787 Dreamliner is the perfect aircraft to achieve this ambition, chief executive officer Ladislaus Matindi said.

The airline will also receive two more new Bombardier CS300 after the Tanzania Government Flight Agency finalised purchase agreements with US manufacturer Boeing Commercial Airplanes and Canada's Bombardier Inc.

Two years ago Tanzania decided to develop a specific programme for revamping its national carrier which included purchasing of six new aircraft between 2016 and 2018, paying off debts, provision of startup capital, improvement and modernisation of business systems.

Mr Matindi said that the Bombardier C300s will be used to open up to six regional routes in southern and West Africa as the airline tries to capture a share of these markets.

We are looking at South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe and in the future expanding to West Africa with Ghana and Nigeria.

We will however use the Dreamliner for intercontinental routes to China and India initially, followed by Europe in the second phase.

We are already in talks with Boeing and the government to have a second delivery of the same aircraft in the near future, Mr Matindi said.

Air Tanzania is also expecting to undergo the Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification before the end of July, which will enable it enter into commercial partnerships with other operators as it seeks to grow its revenue via code share agreements.

The International Air Transport Association's IOSA is an evaluation system designed to test the operational management and control systems of an airline, putting it at par with the international aviation standards.

We already have a strong business plan and given that we are a great tourism destination, we believe that we will have the right mix of passenger numbers and capacity to support this plan, Mr Matindi said.

On Tanzania’s domestic routes, Air Tanzania will compete with Kenya Airways which partly owns Precision Air and the troubled Fastjet.

The latter two airlines operate domestic Tanzanian routes between Dar es Salaam and Mwanza, Kilimanjaro, Mbeya and Zanzibar. Fastjet also flies to Southern Africa from Dar es Salaam with South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe featuring on its regional routes.


Tourism Observer

KENYA: Kenya Airways Cuts Baggage Allowance,Seeks Exemption From Competition Regulations

Kenya Airways is seeking exemption from competition rules in its joint venture deal with Tanzania’s national carrier Precision Air.

KQ, which has a 41.23 stake in Precision Air wants regulatory approval to discuss revenue sharing, price setting, route schedules, sales and marketing on the two airline’s joint venture routes in Kenya and Tanzania.

The two carriers already have a code-sharing agreement that allows airlines to sell seats on each other’s planes on the Nairobi-Dar es Salaam route.

They have now applied to be exempted from competition regulations until April 2022.

In the joint venture agreement, the parties intend to align and coordinate reciprocal code sharing on the joint venture routes, said Competition Authority of Kenya director-general Wang’ombe Kariuki in a notice.

The routes in discussion are Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu, Dar-es-salaam, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar.

The parties intend to align and coordinate network management activities with respect to the Joint Venture including terms of routes, schedules, capacity and designation, pricing of ticket fares on the joint venture routes says Mr Wang’ombe.

The two airlines are also seeking exemption of competition rules in the management of any and all revenues attributable to the performance of the joint venture by any party.

These including without limit, setting up joint venues management systems and joint venue analysis systems, and joint marketing and sales activities with respect to joint venture.

Although competition laws forbid collusion to set prices, the law also allows companies to apply for exemptions. The Competition Authority gave the public 30 days to submit opinions on the proposal.

Meanwhile, Kenya Airways reduced baggage allowance on its intra-Africa routes to one bag, making it more expensive to fly with additional baggage.

The airline previously allowed users flying in Economy Class from one African country to another two bags of a maximum weight of 23 kilogrammes.

Flyers will now be allowed to have only one bag, with charges applicable for extra bags.

Baggage charges are a popular revenue makers for airlines.

Kenya Airways will implement a new baggage policy that will entitle its guests to 20 per cent discount on any extra bag purchases up to 24 hours to departure.

In addition to reduced extra baggage, fees within intra-Africa flights, guests will be entitled to one free bag in the Economy Class cabin at a maximum weight of 23 kilogrammes per passenger, Kenya Airways says.

The carrier however said the intra-Africa one bag allowance will not apply to passengers travelling to and from other continents, while Business Class passengers will maintain their allowance of two free bags at 32 kilogrammes maximum weight per bag.

Charges added onto the actual cost of a ticket have become a way for carriers to make additional income while keeping the cost of tickets low.

The carriers charge Economy Class passengers fees for baggage, legroom and seat selection.

The new baggage policy is part of Kenya Airways’ strategy to provide simplified and discounted competitive prices for passengers who book their extra baggage, any time before 24 hours to departure while enhancing customer service for our guests, says Kenya Airways Group Managing Director and CEO Sebastian Mikosz.


Tourism Observer

UGANDA: Precision Air Rebounds To Entebbe International Airport Four Years After Quiting For Lack Of Business

Bukoba a Precision Air plane, touched down at Entebbe International Airport attracting happiness.

Precision Air plane was welcomed to a water cannon splash on its outer as the pilot turned into the parking position.

Precision Air had finally returned to the Entebbe route, four years after it suspended operation on the route in 2013, citing a restructuring process.

On Wednesday this week, Precision Air’s Manager Outstations and Offlines, Ms Lillian Musyoka announced, at a breakfast meeting in Kampala that they would return and commencing operation citing demand for flights particularly between Uganda and Tanzania.

This will mean that travellers no longer have to travel to Nairobi or Kigali in order to connect to Kilimanjaro and Dar Es Salaam.

Speaking at the launch, Ms Musyoka said the airline will operate four flights per week with two nonstop flights from Dar es Salaam and two services routing via Kilimanjaro.

The development fills a vacuum created on the route when Fastjet pulled out of the route in early December last year. Precision Air is partnering with local travel agent, Uganda Travel Bureau 2004 as its General Sales Agent and also coordinator of the airline’s operations in Uganda.

Travellers will be allowed with luggage of up 23 kilogrammes and up to seven kilogrammes of hand luggage.

Precision Air’s Commercial Director Mr Robert Owusu, stated that the decision to re-launch flights to Entebbe came after a market study which revealed that there was demand for flights between Tanzania and Uganda.

Apart from the business relationships, Tanzania and Uganda have a very rich history and we are going to honor that history by connecting the two countries through our services.

Passengers between Tanzania and Uganda should expect affordable and reliable flights, Mr Owusu explained.

Precision Air is currently the only IATA member in Tanzania and has recently announced a codeshare agreement with Etihad allowing the airline to offer more connection for passengers


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Aviation Should Recruit More Women

In the aviation industry, airlines went out of their way to showcase the female professionals in their fold, particularly singling out the few working in traditionally male-dominated departments like flight operations and technical areas.

It was as if they were all striving to be heard above the din of “We too have females doing more than handling reservations and being cabin crew.”

When I mentioned to a colleague that I cannot wait to see the same airlines celebrate with equal pomp their male employees who have forayed into predominantly female-dominated roles during International Men’s Day, he thought of it as ridiculous.

One would have mistaken the celebratory mood at airlines as marking the 7th Annual Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week, which took place between March 6-12.

This is an annual occasion which commemorates the anniversary of the first female worldwide, Raymonde de Laroche, to be licensed as a pilot on March 8, 1910.

But this was not the first time in recorded history that women took to the sky or had an interaction with aviation. Marie Élisabeth Thible of France is recorded as the first woman to fly in an untethered hot air balloon in 1784.

Since then, women have had some outstanding achievements that have shaped the industry from a first and innovations point of view.

From Maria Beasley who created an improved version of life raft in 1880, to Valentina Tereshkova of Russia who became the first woman to fly to space in 1963, to Hedy Lamarr whom we have to thank for inflight Wi-Fi as we know it today.

Going by Margot Lee Shetterly’s book Hidden Figures on the life story of three African American women and their role in winning the space race for the US’s National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), women have been at the core of aviation more than we imagine.

So, if women have had such a long and illustrious dalliance with aviation, why and when did it develop into such a male- dominated industry? Or has the equation always been skewed in favour of men?

Global statistics on gender parity in aviation are grim. In over 100 years of commercial liners, the aviation industry is not close to achieving gender parity; not by a long shot.

Per IATA figures, of its approximately 241 member airlines, there are less than 10 female chief executives with only one in the developed world.

In fact, no major US airline has ever had a female CEO; none of the top 30 airlines globally has a female CEO.

East Africa is at least proud to have Sauda Rajab as Precision Air’s managing director.

In technical roles such as piloting, there is one female for every 35 male commercial pilots, according to the International Society of Women Airline Pilots.

For instance, of the about 450 pilots at Kenya Airways, only 50 are female — and even fewer are captains, for an airline that is 40 years old.

Historically, to become pilots, the male-dominated industry set lopsided entry criteria that subjected entrants to various strength and height requirements that automatically disqualified many women.

This has since changed but there are still many hurdles for women seeking an equal footing in male-dominated roles in aviation.

While many airlines, even those in the region, will project the image of being an equal opportunity employer, there are rampant cases of profiling and discrimination against women when it comes to piloting and technical roles such as maintenance and flight operations.

Most airlines do not have full confidence in the females under their employment handling sensitive technical areas. As such during pilot rostering for instance, chances are that an all-female piloted flight will be more of a PR stunts than anything else.

Generally, females in these roles suffer job pressure as well as pressure of having to juggle a family life too, challenges that their male counterparts hardly face.

It does not stop there, passengers too have their hidden bias against female pilots and engineers.

On the general, while they will marvel at female in these roles, on the side some travelers have their secret “misgivings” on the ability of females – particularly in the cockpit.

Taking things further up, at policy level, the International Civil Aviation Organisation – secretariat gender statistics at the end of 2015 show women make up only 30 per cent of professional positions.

Representation of women on the Council of ICAO is seven out of 36 members. The organisation is committed to a 50-50 gender parity by 2030.

Accolades such as the first female Boeing 787 captain worldwide being African — Kenya’s Capt Irene Koki Mutungi for that matter — are not enough. There must be an effort to have women take their rightful place and lead as equal footed aviators.

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.

TANZANIA: Precision Air And Etihad Airways Pen Codeshare Agreement

In a move that extends its reach across East Africa, Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, earlier today announced that it has entered into a codeshare agreement with Precision Air, Tanzania’s leading domestic airline.

Under the new codeshare agreement, Etihad Airways will place its EY code on Precision Air flights between Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Mtwara, Nairobi, Zanzibar, Pemba and between Nairobi and Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar.

Precision Air will place its PW code on Etihad’s daily services between Dar es Salaam and Abu Dhabi, strengthening ties between East Africa and the United Arab Emirates, in turn expanding the reach of Precision Air all the way to Abu Dhabi.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer, said: 'Precision Air is an innovative and award-winning airline and this new codeshare agreement demonstrates Etihad Airways’ growing ambitions to strengthen its operations across the East African region. This is a further example of our strategy of working with partners to extend our reach, and provide business and leisure travelers with more choice'.

Ms. Sauda Rajab, the Group Managing Director and CEO at Precision Air Services PLC, said in her response: 'This is a new dawn for Precision Air and we are delighted to be working with Etihad Airways in this way. We look forward to welcoming Etihad Airways’ passengers on board our flights, and are excited about exploring additional opportunities to expand the relationship in the future. With this new partnership we are making it easier for passengers from across our domestic network to travel to Abu Dhabi, with convenient onward access to over 110 destinations on Etihad’s network, in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas'.

Passengers will be able to book flights from tomorrow, the 21st of December 2016, via travel agents or through the airlines’ sales offices and contact centers, with travel starting from 11th of January 2017 when the codeshare arrangements are becoming operational.

Etihad Airways currently operates scheduled services to 10 destinations in Africa, including Nairobi, Entebbe and Dar es Salaam while Precision Air serves a number of domestic and regional destinations in East Africa. Notably is Kenya Airways a key shareholder in Precision Air and also codeshares on Etihad flights between Nairobi to Abu Dhabi.

TANZANIA: Government Acquires 2 Bombardier Q400NG Aircrafts For Air Tanzania

Bombardier has concluded an add on deal with the Tanzanian government to their delivery of two Q400NG's at the end of September.

Pen was put to paper yesterday for the delivery of a third Bombardier Q400NG in a single class configuration but notably did the brand new C-Series get an entry into Africa when two of the CS300 variants were ordered at the same time.
Only days ago was the first such CS300 delivered to global launch customer AirBaltic after Swiss, part of the Lufthansa Group, had taken delivery of their CS100 variant at the end of June also a global launch customer.

The delivery dates for the two CS300 jets are yet to be fully confirmed but the third Q400NG might join the fleet already in H1 of next year. This will then facilitate the resumption of flights to more domestic and regional destinations before the CS300's, the most economical aircraft on the market in its class, will then allow for the rollout of more African routes.

This deal comes at a time when local rivals Precision Air and Fastjet in Tanzania remain in loss making territory and coincides with Fastjet suspending their flights from Dar es Salaam to Entebbe and Nairobi, giving Air Tanzania unexpected openings to take on such vacated routes with smaller and more efficient aircraft.

The sale of the first ever CS series aircraft to Africa by Bombardier is a coup of sorts over other manufacturers, in particular Embraer and will probably help to open the African market for such jets in the 100 - 150 seat market.

In a related development was it also learned that the Tanzanian government is in talks with Boeing over the purchase of a Boeing B787 Dreamliner to allow a revived Air Tanzania launch intercontinental flights similar to what is presently taking place in Rwanda, where the government, through RwandAir, has however opted to buy two Airbus A330 models.

This now also makes the air very thin for a revival of Air Uganda as the regional market appears saturated, given the status of Kenya Airways as regional force, the emergence of RwandAir as a serious and fast growing African contender already serving Uganda through fifth freedom right flights and a revived Air Tanzania with eventually 6 or seven brand new aircraft which will, in combination of the three, leave any newcomer trailing in their wake.

TANZANIA: Precision Air In Promotion To Attract Passengers

Precision Air, one of Tanzania's leading commercial airlines and the only one quoted on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange, has launched a consumer promotion to award their passengers ahead of the upcoming the holiday season.

There will be a total of 100 tickets for grabs during promotion period and there will be 10 weekly draws conducted over the coming two months.Each of the 10 lucky winners will get return tickets to any destination within the airline’s network which includes a range of domestic destinations but also the Comoros and Nairobi.

Explaining about the promotion, the Corporate Communications and Marketing Manager Ms. Azda Nkullo said that every passenger flying with Precision Air has an equal chance of winning a free ticket.

'We are celebrating 23 years of service and in doing so we are going to give out 100 free tickets to our esteemed customers as our expression gratitude for their support throughout the years that we have been in operation'.

Ms. Nkullo explained further that to participate, one needs to purchase a Precision Air ticket to any of its destinations, fill in the coupon at check-in counter and drop it in the lucky-dip box at the boarding gate.

'We are going to run a draw every Monday and announce our weekly ten winners for 10 weeks consecutively. We want our customers to take advantage of this promotion in preparation for the coming holiday afterall its is the season to be gifting' she added.

Corporate Affairs Manager Mr. Hillary Mremi then said passengers can easily participate in the Fly and Win promotion by taking advantage of the online promotion fares (Shavu La Dotcom) for travels between Dar – Arusha, Dar- Kilimanjaro, Musoma –Mwanza and Mwanza – Bukoba with the price starting from only Tsh.80,000/-.

He also added that all the online booking and online payments to any of Precision Air destination will enjoy a further 10% discount.

Precision Air with this initiative is clearly reacting to the revival of main rival Air Tanzania which has started to relaunch operations on a number of domestic routes after receiving two brand new Bombardier Q400NG aircraft and with competition heating up on the Tanzanian domestic market it will be the most innovative, most affordable and most on time airline which will see the most passengers board their flights.

Precision Air was established in 1993 as a private charter air transport company operating a five-seater piper Aztec aircraft. Its initial line of business mainly focused on providing connections for tourists visiting the rich natural attractions of Serengeti National Park & Ngorongoro Crater in northern Tanzania, the Zanzibar Island in the Indian Ocean and other parts of the country from Arusha town as its base.

With 23 years in service, Precision Air has grown and become a reputable airline in East Africa region and Africa at large, operating to 11 domestic destinations and two (2) regional ones, connecting passengers to many more destinations within Africa and abroad.

TANZANIA: New Board Members For Air Tanzania

Overshadowed by the high profile arrival of the first of two Bombardier Q400NG turboprop aircraft - the second one is expected within days now - has President John Magufuli appointed a new Chairman of the Board of Directors for the national airline and also put a new CEO into place.

Engineer Emmanuel Korosso was named as new Board Chairman while Engineer Ladislaus Matindi was named as new Director General on the same day.

Tanzania's Minister for Transport and Communications, Prof. Makame Mbarawa has since then appointed a further five board members before yesterday then officially introducing the new board to the public.

The Minister used the opportunity to give the new team just three months to clean house and overhaul the entire management of the airline, effectively giving past and some present managers a vote of no confidence. This is in line with the regularly expressed opinion here that former managers were personally responsible for the financial and operational mess the airline was in before the Magufuli government, after a thorough review of the sector, then decided to invest in the carrier, but on tough conditions of fundamental change.

In addition did the Minister demand that members of the top management but also all staff must sign performance contracts to be held accountable if they fail to turn the ailing national airline around within a matter of months.

Apart from the second Bombardier Q400NG did the Minister also intimate, as was speculated about here in earlier articles, that government was procuring two additional aircraft to be delivered in the first half of next year, which would bring the overall fleet to five and set the scene for a full scale revival.

Notably have all three major carriers in Tanzania, including Precision Air and Fastjet, all recorded losses over the past years, which begs questions to be answered if perhaps more structural reforms of the sector are needed with a review on taxation and fees charged.

Tanzania has over the past years made significant progress in rehabilitating and modernizing aviation infrastructure and while beset with challenges of cost overruns and missed deadlines have many secondary airports as a result of such investments managed to attract additional flights.

TANZANIA: Minister Suspends Air Tanzania CEO

Tanzanian Minister for Work,Transport and Communications Prof. Makame Mbarawa had yesterday afternoon suspended the airline's CEO and the Director of Operations.

The reason given was that the two had allegedly selected an unqualified pilot to go for training to become type rated for the recently bought Bombardier Q400NG's, prompting the ire and wrath of the minister.

The two new planes are reportedly due for delivery as of September this year and due haste was needed to select and send pilots for training.

It could not be independently verified what issues the Minister has with the one selected pilot he singled out or if that pilot is indeed lacking qualifications or if it was simply another case of politically inspired foulmouthing, all of course at the expense of the airline.

'Buying two new planes is laudable. However, Air Tanzania is saddled with massive debts and unless those are cleared by government first will the airline continue to struggle financially.

Creditors may anytime ask courts to attach assets which has happened before. I know they are trying to optically boost the airline and then find a strategic investor but hoodwinking those into deals is no longer as easy as it used to be.

All attempts to partly privatise ATCL have failed in the past. Main reasons then were the level of debts and the influence of the union in that airline. Nothing as far as I am concerned has changed.

The airline should be liquidated to use tax payer money for more urgent causes or else merge them with Precision Air so that we have one sound strong national airline and not a flying financial wreck' did the source then continue.

Meanwhile has Fastjet Tanzania emerged as the country's leading airline in terms of passengers, followed by Precision Air and with Air Tanzania trailing as a very distant third. Other leading local airlines, operating on domestic routes and to the national parks, are Auric Air, Coastal and Regional Air.

TANZANIA: Precision Air Plane Halts Takeoff Due To Engine Fire

Thirty-four passengers and 4 crew members were evacuated after fire alarm was raised moments before a Precision Air plane took off from Zanzibar's Karume Airport last Thursday.

The airline said in a statement that the pilot of the plane with registration number 5HPWB between Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam had immediately initiated standard operating procedures to extinguish the fire and taxied the aircraft back to the apron.

"No one was harmed during this incidence; all 34 passengers and 4 crew members were safely evacuated and given accommodation for the night," the airline said in a statement.

After the fire incident, another engine was sent from Dar es Salaam and a rescue flight was also sent to take engineers and Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) officials for investigation into the matter.

"We wish to inform all our passengers and the general public that due to our strict adherence to safety, immediate measures were taken to send another engine from Dar es Salaam.

"We have also sent a rescue flight to take TCAA officials together with our engineers to conduct required standard investigations for such an event. The same equipment will also airlift the passengers back to Dar es Salaam to continue on their journeys."

The aircraft had already performed flight PW-432 from Dar es Salaam to Kilimanjaro, then flight PW-2433 from Kilimanjaro to Zanzibar that day and was scheduled to continue to Dar es Salaam following the intermediate stop in Zanzibar.

Precision Air is an IOSA certified airline therefore the safety of our passengers, crew and aircraft is always a priority, the airline said in the statement and apologized to their passengers for the inconveniences

ZANZIBAR: Precision Air Commences Pemba Flights

Precision Air has now launched the long expected flights from Dar es Salaam via the main Zanzibari island of Unguja to Pemba. The service will operate three times a week every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, using one of the airline's ATR aircraft.

Precision Air says subject to demand, more flights could be added in due course.

The new service will not only allow Tanzanians to travel to Pemba but also opens up the island for tourists, who can now conveniently connect from the main island of Unguja, commonly referred to as Zanzibar, to Pemba for a two island vacation.

In a related development has Precision last month launched their new improved booking system, now available online for their customers and introduced more payment options for tickets including Mastercard, Visa but notably also e-money through mobile phone operator accounts.

TANZANIA: Precision Air To Fly To Pemba May 2016

Precision Air, Tanzania's only publicly quoted airline, has confirmed that Pemba, the second largest island of the Zanzibar archipelago, will be added to their domestic network come 24th of May, using an ATR turboprop aircraft.

The island will initially be served three times a week, in conjunction with flights to Unguja, every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

The flights are expected to boost both tourism and trade between the Tanzanian mainland and Pemba and also makes it easy to fly from Unguja to the sister island.

Precision currently flies from its hub in Dar es Salaam to Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Mwanza, Mtwara, Kigoma, Tabora, Musoma, Bukoba and Unguja / Zanzibar and Pemba will be the 11th destination across their domestic route network.

Precision Air is part owned by Kenya Airways and provides essential feeder services to flights then connecting passengers via Nairobi into the KQ network across Africa, Europe, the Gulf, India and the Far East.

KENYA: Fastjet Enters Nairobi Skies

Low-cost carrier Fastjet is set to launch Tanzania to Nairobi flights on Monday, stepping up competition for Kenya Airways (KQ) and its associate Precision Air which also fly the same routes.

The UK budget airline has announced daily flights from Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) at prices that are relatively cheaper than the two main carriers currently flying these destinations.

Kenya Airways owns a 41.23 per cent stake of the Tanzanian registered Precision Air.

“Fastjet Tanzania has been given clearance by the Kenyan government to operate flights between Kenya and Tanzania under the Bilateral Air Services Agreement between the two countries,” the airline said in a statement.

“Return flights from Nairobi’s JKIA to Dar es Salaam’s Julius Nyerere International Airport and Kilimanjaro International Airport will initially operate daily, using Fastjet’s Airbus A319 aircraft with 156-passenger capacity.”

Fastjet, which last April raised Sh7.5 billion to fund its penetration of the African market, operates a budget model where passengers who make advance bookings pay less.

Passengers who want extras like food, baggage and seat choices pay extra, making it cheaper to fly for those seeking minimal additions.

The London Stock Exchange-listed carrier has been using this model in its flights to South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

Its plan to introduce it locally could shift market dynamics on the Tanzanian route.

A fare comparison shows that Fastjet is charging Sh27,390 for a return flight (departure on January 18 and return on January 22) to Dar es Salaam and Sh20,790 to Kilimanjaro.

Passengers are charged between Sh220 and Sh2,200 for a pre-assigned seat, Sh1,650 for checked-in luggage of up to 20 kilogrammes and Sh3,000 for food and drinks ordered during the flight.

A Kenya Airways return-trip on the same dates will cost a passenger travelling to Dar es Salaam Sh31,485 and Sh430 more for a similar flight to Kilimanjaro.

Kenya Airways, which is facing increased pressure from gulf airlines on its African routes operates 42 flights per week to Tanzania.

Precision Air which has similarly been financially shaky, is charging customers $442 (Sh45,084) for return flight from the JKIA to Dar es Salaam and $303 (Sh30,906) to Kilimanjaro on the same dates.

“The travelling public pays prohibitively high fares for regional air travel,” said Jimmy Kibati, Fastjet general manager for East Africa, adding that their target will be first time flyers who normally use buses.

The lack of competition on many routes maintains prices artificially high, keeping air travel beyond the reach of most. Affordable fares will make it easier for more entrepreneurs, tourists and other visitors to travel between Tanzania and Kenya,” he said.

Mr Kibati added that Fastjet’s entry into the Kenyan market will have the net result of bringing prices down as regular and budget airlines compete for passengers.

Fastjet is pursuing a continent-wide expansion plan, seeking to replicate the success of the Tanzanian operation to several other countries. Its local subsidiary, Fastjet Kenya, has until recently faced challenges in making its entry into the local market.

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) deferred granting it any licence for nearly a year after existing carriers, including KQ, voiced their objections to the move.

TANZANIA: Precision Air Returns To Musoma

Precision Air just announced their imminent return to Musoma, after halting services two years ago due to the poor conditions of the runway and apron which led to damage to one of their ATR aircraft. Following major improvements made by the Tanzania Airport Authority has the airline, after assessing the status of the airport, agreed to resume flights with immediate effect.

The Dar es Salaam to Musoma flights will operate every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for the time being, joining 10 more Precision Air destinations across the country and beyond, those being Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Bukoba, Tabora, Kigoma, Mtwara, Nairobi and now Musoma.

Precision Air’s Commercial Director, Mr. Robert Owusu said that the move was triggered by the demand in the market. He stated that the flight has been positioned to cater for passengers who had to drive from Musoma to catch flights in Mwanza. ‘We had temporarily suspended the Musoma route due to the airport’s unfavorable conditions which had caused damage to the aircraft.

Since then, there have been some improvements made to the airport infrastructure that make it safe for our aircraft to land and take-off from there. As service providers, we also understand the inconveniences that passenger from Musoma had to go through by driving for about 4 hours to catch flights in Mwanza. We believe our flights to Musoma will not only stimulate trade in Musoma but also the tourism industry’.

Precision Air operates an all ATR aircraft fleet comprising both the ATR 42 and the larger ATR 72 models which are well suited to fly in and out of secondary and tertiary airports and aerodromes.

TANZANIA: Low Cost Fastjet To Fly Johanesburg To Spice Island Of Zanzibar From Jan 2016

The new routing will take into account the growing demand for vacations by South Africans for Zanzibar.

The routing of the flight will therefore be in conjunction with the daily service from Johannesburg to Dar es Salaam, continuing on to the Spice Island after a brief stop in Tanzania’s commercial capital.

This will peg Fastjet against South Africa’s Mango which presently flies twice a week nonstop on the route. Tourism stakeholders on Zanzibar have warmly welcomed the move, which is due for a formal announcement soon. More flights means more seats, helping to fill the beds in the many new resorts which have sprung up of late but also in established properties.

Zanzibar has two key tourism components, culture and history, best explored from the Stone Town hotels like the Zanzibar Serena, where heritage and contemporary blends best, though there are other hotels too inside the UNESCO World Heritage site, including some more recent arrivals by international brand names.

The other component is of course the vacation element on the award winning beaches which ring the island from one end to the other and across.

From there, as well as from the Stone Town hotels, can visits be made to the famous plantations where spices are grown for export and domestic consumption or the slave trade sites of old as Zanzibar was one of the main market places for African slaves along the Eastern African seaboard.

Zanzibar is connected by air to Dar es Salaam via Coastal Aviation, Auric Air and Precision Air with flights lasting less than half an hour, to Nairobi with Kenya Airways and to other more distant destinations by Qatar Airways, Fly Dubai, Condor and Ethiopian, among others.