ATCL eyes to receive eight more aircraft to reach a 24-aircraft fleet by 2030

CAPE TOWN: THE Tanzanian government has announced a plan to add eight aircraft to Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL), a move that will increase the fleet to a total of 24 aircraft by 2030 as part of efforts to strengthen air transport and stimulate national economic growth.

The announcement was made by the Deputy Minister for Transport, David Kihenzile, on behalf of the Minister for Transport, while addressing ATCL staff in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa. He noted that the airline started with only one aircraft in 2016 and has since expanded its fleet to 16 aircraft.

He further stated that during the four-year administration of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the government has added six large aircraft. The short-term target is to reach 19 aircraft within the 2025/2026 financial year, before expanding to 24 aircraft by 2030.

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The expansion of the fleet has significantly widened ATCL’s domestic network, which currently serves several destinations, including Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Mwanza, Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Mbeya, Mtwara, Kigoma, Iringa, Pemba, Unguja, Songea, Mpanda, Tabora, and Bukoba. Plans are also underway to launch services to Sumbawanga, Musoma, and Shinyanga in the near future.

At the regional and international levels, the airline operates routes to Nairobi, Entebbe, Bujumbura, Lubumbashi, Lusaka, Harare, Johannesburg, Guangzhou (China), Mumbai (India), and Dubai, in addition to cargo services that contribute to trade and the national economy.

In his remarks, Kihenzile urged ATCL employees to continue working with professionalism, discipline, and accountability in the service of the nation.

Meanwhile, Tanzania’s Ambassador to South Africa, James Bwana, noted that ATCL’s presence in Johannesburg and Cape Town is helping to boost trade between Tanzania and South Africa.