Air Tanzania confirms plans to have 16 operational aircraft by early 2023

State-owned airline Air Tanzania plans to increase its fleet by 2023, local sources reported. Tanzania’s president, Samia Suluhu Hassan, had assured in April that her government would continue to «strategically nurture» the airline to improve its operational efficiency.

National Minister Works and Transport, Makame Mbarawa, said the Tanzanian state will invest 468 billion shillings (about 200 million dollars) to bring in five new aircraft. The money will go toward completing payments for a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, two Boeing 737 MAX 9s, a Boeing 767-300F freighter and a Dash 8 Q400.

According to the official, the government is determined to make Tanzania a transport and logistics hub in East and Central Africa. The development of a larger network of connections in the region would lead to increased competition between the company and Kenya Airways, the flag carrier of neighboring Kenya.

Air Tanzania currently operates a fleet of Airbus A220-300 aircraft (it is the first operator of the model on the continent), Boeing 787-8s and Dash 8 Q400s. If the new deliveries are completed on time, it would have 16 aircraft of its own by early 2026.

The new budget commitment comes against a backdrop of negative balance sheets for the company. Earlier this year it was revealed that two Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners recorded losses of 23.6 billion shillings. However, the company consolidated a trend to reduce its losses between 2020 and 2021.

See also: First order for Boeing in Dubai: Air Tanzania goes for one 787, two 737 MAX and one 767 freighter