Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) has decided to suspend all Kenya Airways (KQ) passenger flights between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, effective January 22, 2024 in an eye for an eye move.
‘’Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority, on behalf of the aeronautical authorities of the United Republic of Tanzania, has decided to rescind the approvals for Kenya Airways (KQ) to operate passenger flights between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam under Third and Forth Freedom Traffic Rights with effect from 22 January 2024,’’ reads a public notice on Monday 15 January 2024 signed by Hamza S. Johari, the Director General of TCAA.
This move comes after Kenya’s recent rejection of Tanzania’s request for all-cargo flight operations by its carrier, Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL) between Nairobi and third countries. The TCAA states that the aeronautical authorities of Kenya, by so acting breached Section 4 of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Air Services signed between the two nations on 24th November 2016.
KQ, on the other end has responded by issuing a position statement stating that it is engaging the Civil Aviation Authorities and the relevant government agencies in Kenya and Tanzania to find a solution that will ensure there are no flight disruptions between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.
Kenya Airways, one of the Africa’s largest airlines, was recently ranked as Africa’s second most efficient airline in a global on-time performance review of airlines and airports. The carrier operates a total of 33 scheduled flights per week between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam and this sudden suspension is expected to significantly impact the passengers traveling between the two nations.
