Tanzania Suspends Kenya Airways’ Nairobi-Dar es Salaam Fights

The Director General of the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority stated on Monday, “This is to reciprocate the decision by the aeronautical authorities of the Republic of Kenya to refuse the Tanzanian request for all-cargo flight operations by Air Tanzania Company Limited under Fifth Freedom Traffic Rights between Nairobi and Third countries, contrary to Section 4 of the Memorandum of Understanding on Air Services between Tanzania and Kenya signed on 24 November 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya.”

He added, “Following this decision, there shall be no passenger flights by KQ between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam from 22 January 2024.”

The move is expected to disrupt air travel between the two countries, affecting both tourists and the business community.

The Nairobi-Dar es Salaam route is a key revenue generator for Kenya Airways, currently operating 33 flights per week.

In 2020, Tanzania briefly suspended Kenya Airways flights “on a reciprocal basis” after the Kenyan government excluded Tanzania from a list of countries whose passengers would be allowed to enter Kenya when commercial flights resumed, following the lifting of coronavirus restrictions. The suspension was lifted after Kenya exempted Tanzanian nationals from the two-week quarantine.

Tanzania emphasized its commitment to adhering to the principles of the Chicago Convention 1944 and Bilateral Air Services Agreement between States.

The development occurs amidst public calls for regional leaders to liberalize East African airspaces to reduce the cost of air transport. The East African region currently has some of the world’s most expensive flight routes in terms of per-seat costs, particularly on the Nairobi to Entebbe, Nairobi to Kigali, and Nairobi to Dar es Salaam routes.

The high costs on both passenger and cargo flights contribute to the overall expense of doing business in the region. For instance, a passenger airline ticket between Entebbe and Nairobi averages $380, while the fare for the Nairobi-Dar es Salaam route ranges between $350 and $400 for economy class.

Experts suggest that if East African partner states eliminated regulatory charges, taxes, landing and parking rates, the cost of air transport in the region could potentially be reduced to less than $100 per route.

Affordable aviation is crucial for boosting tourism, facilitating the arrival of larger numbers of tourists and supporting various tourism-related businesses. Additionally, it provides vital connections to export markets for goods and services.