DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA's flag carrier airline, ATCL, is expected to boost its supremacy in the domestic airlines market shares, thanks to a newly acquired passenger plane, Boeing 737- MAX9.
A 2022 report indicates Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) dominated domestic market by 50.9 per cent, trailing Precision Air at 23.9 per cent and Auric Air Services (11 per cent).
Although ATCL's market share dropped by 2 percent from 52.9 percent recorded in 2021, the national carrier is still enjoying a lion's share in Tanzania's aviation industry.
The government-owned airline has so far, a fleet of 14 aircrafts; one Dash 8-Q300, five Dash 8-Q400, four Airbus A220-300, two Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, one Boeing 767-300F (Cargo Freighter) and the newly procured Boeing 737 Max 9.
Also, ATCL expects to add to its fleet; one more Boeing 737 Max - 9 and one Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner by March 2024.
ATCL maintains its position as the leading airline in Tanzania, providing extensive domestic and international connectivity with over 120 weekly flights to more than 15 destinations.
Air Tanzania currently operates more than ten domestic destinations from Dar es Salaam hub, namely Dodoma, Kilimanjaro, Kigoma, Mpanda, Geita, Mbeya, Mtwara, Mwanza, Bukoba, Songea, Tabora, Iringa, Arusha and Zanzibar.
Beyond the borders, ATCL operates to Mumbai (India), Lubumbashi (DRC), Nairobi (Kenya), Hahaya (Comoros), Ndola and Lusaka (Zambia), Harare (Zimbabwe), Bujumbura (Burundi), Entebbe (Uganda).
Soon they expect to add more routes to cater for Dzaoudzi (Mayotte), Dubai (UAE), Juba (Southern Sudan), Johannesburg (South Africa), Lagos (Nigeria), Accra (Ghana) and London (United Kingdom).
In 2016, the government took a bold decision to revive ATCL by reforming its management, procuring of new planes and expansion of airports to keep pace with the market demand.
Earlier this week, Minister for Transport, Professor Makame Mbarawa said Tanzania is endowed with abundant fascinating tourists' attractions including beautiful beaches and National Parks that require stable country's airlines to handle tourists' movements.
