Air Tanzania to Start Q400 Operations 15 October
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nonsuch123,
You're obviously totally out of touch with what's happening in Tanzania. The article you posted your second link to was published in 2012, since when Tanzania has had a change of government and ATCL has had a change in management, with almost all the old senior management swept away.
Sure, some bits of the website aren't yet working properly - I have the same problem with AF/KLM and frequently complain to them. However, I had no problem at all using it to book a flight from Mwanza to Dar a couple of weeks ago at a cost of $90.
Compared with Fastjet, I found the experience much better with a full service flight and everything hassle free and on time
You're obviously totally out of touch with what's happening in Tanzania. The article you posted your second link to was published in 2012, since when Tanzania has had a change of government and ATCL has had a change in management, with almost all the old senior management swept away.
Sure, some bits of the website aren't yet working properly - I have the same problem with AF/KLM and frequently complain to them. However, I had no problem at all using it to book a flight from Mwanza to Dar a couple of weeks ago at a cost of $90.
Compared with Fastjet, I found the experience much better with a full service flight and everything hassle free and on time
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The proof of the pudding is in the eating - as someone in this thread already commented, just try booking a flight online on their official website. I tried now and the website is completely down!! Can't access a single page and this is from a reliable, fast internet connection and via multiple browsers (in other words I verified the problem lies with them not me). If they can't even get the website right, then how do you expect them to buy, operate, maintain and market the likes of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, let alone get the approvals to operate to foreign markets (whom Tanzania seems to be doing a great job of alienating at the moment by its anti-foreigner policies - watch that bite you on the bum!). The comments previously in this thread are correct that Air Tanzania is an uncompetitive propped-up-by-the-Government joke that wouldn't last five seconds if it was a genuine private sector competitive airline. Just because you keep putting aircraft in the air doesn't make you a good airline. As someone else said 'watch this space' - yep, I'm watching it and its not going to be filled with a Dreamliner and eventually its going to be filled with Q400s that are no longer flying because ATZ are once again going to screw it all up - once a lemon, always a lemon!
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ATCL Dreamliner Due Soon
The ATCL 787-800 has already completed its first pre-delivery flight and rumour has it that it may be delivered next weekend.
I must say it’s a bit of an odd strategy bringing that in before the 2 CS300s but, hey, this is Africa where grandstanding, politics and prestige take priority over economics. I think they’d have done much better economically to have followed the RwandAir model. Talk is that the initial schedule is for 3 flights a week to Mumbai. That’s not going to start to cover operating costs! On a positive note, it seems likely they will pass their IOSA audit, which will help other inter-continental routes (if they don’t run out of state money first).
This may may look good on paper, but I see bad things happening in Tanzania now. Fastjet may have lousy management, but I don’t like the dirty tricks rumoured to being used by TCAA under political pressure to stop their route development in Tanzania. Magafuli seems to be taking the country back to the bad early nationalistic days of Nyerere (which he himself admitted in his latter years were a mistake). Outwardly, it’s good that he talks the talk about his anti-corruption stance, but the reality is that with tougher penalties, which are not being enforced, corruption is just as rife, but bribes are much more expensive now. It’s also obvious that press freedom is being curtailed and the internet monitored more which is why many of my Tanzanian friends feel frightened to post anything critical of their government on any Internet forums.
The result of all this this is that internal air travel in Tanzania is ridiculously expensive in a country where distances are long and road transport is very dangerous. The Dreamliner is glamorous - but at what cost? Magafuli is taking the country backwards and driving away much-needed foreign investment. Many of my friends have effectively closed down their businesses in Tanzania, many moving to Kenya and Rwanda
I must say it’s a bit of an odd strategy bringing that in before the 2 CS300s but, hey, this is Africa where grandstanding, politics and prestige take priority over economics. I think they’d have done much better economically to have followed the RwandAir model. Talk is that the initial schedule is for 3 flights a week to Mumbai. That’s not going to start to cover operating costs! On a positive note, it seems likely they will pass their IOSA audit, which will help other inter-continental routes (if they don’t run out of state money first).
This may may look good on paper, but I see bad things happening in Tanzania now. Fastjet may have lousy management, but I don’t like the dirty tricks rumoured to being used by TCAA under political pressure to stop their route development in Tanzania. Magafuli seems to be taking the country back to the bad early nationalistic days of Nyerere (which he himself admitted in his latter years were a mistake). Outwardly, it’s good that he talks the talk about his anti-corruption stance, but the reality is that with tougher penalties, which are not being enforced, corruption is just as rife, but bribes are much more expensive now. It’s also obvious that press freedom is being curtailed and the internet monitored more which is why many of my Tanzanian friends feel frightened to post anything critical of their government on any Internet forums.
The result of all this this is that internal air travel in Tanzania is ridiculously expensive in a country where distances are long and road transport is very dangerous. The Dreamliner is glamorous - but at what cost? Magafuli is taking the country backwards and driving away much-needed foreign investment. Many of my friends have effectively closed down their businesses in Tanzania, many moving to Kenya and Rwanda
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That aircraft will be requisitioned for “official VIP transport” in short order. The pax will be left stranded and shouting at Julius Nyerere airport where RwandAir, Qatar and Ethiopiain will gladly take those pax. Wait for it....waaaaiiiittt for it.
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It takes years of planning, country specific avaiation administration approval and diplomatic negotiations to start international routes. Normally you get approval or indicate intent, then start negotiations and audits. It also takes some time to establish route network support, destination logistics and advertising to generate customers. Has anyone seen any ads for Air Tanzania anywhere? This venture is very exciting and I’m sure will become the Spirit of the Nation, a regional superpower and regular, and punctual visitor to destinations worldwide...
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ATCL Dreamliner has arrived in Dar
ATCL’s 787-8 arrived in Dar today and is initially scheduled to start 3 flights a week to Mumbai, which I must admit is a bit odd as it’s a very short route for an aircraft like a Dreamliner. Maybe it’s just to get early experience of operating the type before starting flights to China and/or Europe.
The airline is rumoured to have completed its IOSA audit now and is optimistic that it will be favourable.
They never give away much in advance about aircraft deliveries but the CS300s must be due soon. I’m happy to see more aircraft entering the country with the employment opportunities they present, but rather doubtful about their ability to put in the required infrastructure or have the requisite number of suitably qualified personnel to be able to cope with such a large and rapid expansion, especially given Magufuli’s hostility towards expatriates which has led to many leaving.
The airline is rumoured to have completed its IOSA audit now and is optimistic that it will be favourable.
They never give away much in advance about aircraft deliveries but the CS300s must be due soon. I’m happy to see more aircraft entering the country with the employment opportunities they present, but rather doubtful about their ability to put in the required infrastructure or have the requisite number of suitably qualified personnel to be able to cope with such a large and rapid expansion, especially given Magufuli’s hostility towards expatriates which has led to many leaving.
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It hasn’t. Evidently, the plane is there or Enroute. It won’t make a viable airline happen, but it’s there. Emirates and Qatar, watch out! Tanzania will probably revoke your landing rights.
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Magufuli’s popularity is falling rapidly, though more so with the rich than the poor.
He’s going back to the old days of trying to curb freedom of the press. Twaweza na sisi carried out a survey entitled Sauti za Wananichi (Citizen’s Voices), which showed that Magafuli’s popularity has fallen from 71% last year to 55% this year. As a result the Tanzanian Commission for Science and Technology has required Teaweza to show cause why legal action should not be taken against it
He’s going back to the old days of trying to curb freedom of the press. Twaweza na sisi carried out a survey entitled Sauti za Wananichi (Citizen’s Voices), which showed that Magafuli’s popularity has fallen from 71% last year to 55% this year. As a result the Tanzanian Commission for Science and Technology has required Teaweza to show cause why legal action should not be taken against it
