Despite being banned from flying into the European Union airspace, reportedly for security reasons, Tanzania’s National Airline reports to have transported more than one million passengers in the course of the year 2024.
Air Tanzania, according to an official report recently relayed through the airline’s official channel has so far recorded over 16,522 flights, carrying more than a million travellers as well as hauling more than 10,181 tons of cargo.
But flying an average of one million passengers in a year isn’t exactly breaking news, as the same figure was recorded by the airline in the year 2022.
On the other hand, the airline management says they were also forging mutual cooperation with other larger, and well-established international carriers such as Air India, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Fly Dubai and others in effort to improve and modernize its services.
However, the report did not clarify how exactly is Air Tanzania collaborate with those other airlines.
In November 2024, Air Tanzania revived its services to South Africa with direct flights between its hub at the Julius Kambarage Nyerere International Airport (JKNIA) in Dar-Es-salaam and Oliver R. Tambo International in Johannesburg.
Air Tanzania, boasting a fleet of 16 Aircraft and counting, also flies to Lusaka in Zambia, Harare in Zimbabwe and Mumbai, India.
At one time in the course of 2024, the airline also teased a direct route between Dubai in the UAE and Zanzibar Islands.
In an even more positive development, the Aviation Authorities in China have also given Air Tanzania green light to start direct freight (cargo) services between China and Tanzania.
But recently in December 2024 the European Commission officially blacklisted Air Tanzania from operating in European Union (EU) airspace, citing safety concerns.
The management of Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) has since chosen to keep quiet on the subject.
Air Tanzania was not alone in the European Union ban list. There were 129 other airlines that got disqualified from accessing EU airspace.