Tanzania suspends Kenya Airways passenger flights to Dar es Salaam

Kenya Airways Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane. Tanzania has suspended KQ flights to Dar-es-Salaam.

In a tit-for-tat transfer, the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) has suspended all Kenya Airways (KQ) passenger flights between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam with impact from January 22, 2024.

Kenya Airways operates 33 scheduled flights per week between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.

That is in response to Kenya’s latest rejection of Tanzania’s request to permit its airline, Air Tanzania Firm Restricted (ATCL), to function cargo flights between Nairobi and third nations.

The TCAA cited the Kenyan authorities’ refusal as a violation of Part 4 of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Air Providers signed between the 2 nations in 2016. This part offers for reciprocal remedy of airways from each nations.

“This resolution is predicated on the precept of reciprocity, following the refusal by the Kenyan authorities to grant approval for ATCL’s cargo flights regardless of the clear provisions of the MoU,” said TCAA Director Common Hamza S. Johari in a public discover.

Johari additional emphasised Tanzania’s dedication to worldwide aviation laws and bilateral agreements, stating, “The United Republic of Tanzania shall all the time try to stick to the ideas of Chicago Conference 1944 and Bilateral Air Providers Settlement between States.”

The sudden suspension of KQ flights is predicted to considerably impression passengers travelling between the 2 nations.

Hundreds depend on this route for enterprise, tourism, and household connections. Whereas different airways function on the route, the lack of KQ’s flights will undoubtedly result in lowered choices and probably larger fares.

The dispute between Tanzania and Kenya over air journey rights has been simmering for a number of months.

In August 2020, Tanzania banned KQ flights for a short interval after Kenya excluded Tanzanians from a listing of nations whose residents might enter with out quarantine restrictions.

The ban was later lifted, however tensions remained excessive.

The present scenario raises issues about the way forward for air journey between the 2 nations. Each Tanzania and Kenya stand to lose from this disruption, notably the tourism and enterprise sectors.