After purchasing 5 brand-new aircraft from Canadian manufacturer Bombardier, among them 3 Q400NGs and 2 of the recently-launched CS300s, the Tanzanian government has made a further commitment to boost the operations of the national airline, Air Tanzania.
It is understood that a US$10 million commitment fee has been paid to Boeing for the delivery of a B787-8 Dreamliner in June 2018. At that stage, all 5 new Bombardier aircraft will be in operation on domestic and regional/African routes, helping to feed traffic into the airline’s long-haul services.
While no confirmation has been received from Air Tanzania, it is expected that the Dreamliner will be deployed on a route to China with added suggestions that a European gateway could also be on the drawing board.
Air Tanzania, best described as moribund as recently as a year ago with just one serviceable aircraft, a Bombardier Q300 turboprop, was for long plagued by inept and allegedly corrupt management with many former managers now facing court cases.
The Magufuli government, however, has restructured the board of the company as well as brought new managers into the airline with clear instructions to reverse the flagging fortunes of Air Tanzania or else – and it is the “or else” the new team may fear most as President Magufuli does not appear to tolerate failure, in particular with so much money at stake.
A Boeing B787 Dreamliner costs anything from US$220 million US Dollars upwards, and the aircraft purchases from Bombardier are equally amounting to an estimated US$270 million for the 5 planes, 2 of which have already been delivered and entered service 2 months ago.
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