KQ Vs Tz
Interesting report in the local papers about the ongoing argument between Kenya and Tanzania over flight clearances....
"A budget airline, which was unable to secure a licence to operate from Nairobi in 2013, is at the centre of the latest spat between Kenya and Tanzania.
Fastjet, which is backed by Eastyjet founder Stelios Haji Ioannou, was to launch operations in Kenya via buying Fly540 but the deal fell through. And with an attempt to launch on its own also collapsing, it set base in Tanzania.
The airline has been trying to operate flights to Kenya from Tanzania but a 2011 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) requiring that only airlines with substantial local ownership can be licensed to operate scheduled services between the two countries, locked it out.
However confidential information seen by the Nation, show Tanzania attempted to circumnavigate the MoU on the basis of 'principle place of business and effective regulatory control as additional designation criteria for its airlines. On this criterion, Tanzania wanted Kenya to allow Fastjet to operate scheduled servciess here. Refusal by the Ministry of Transport on the basis that the principles of the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) and MoU must be protected from susceptible to misinterpreation and abuse triggered Tanzania to change flight terms for KQ.