The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority has issued a ban on flights between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, effective from January 22, 2024.
The Director General of the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority, Hamza Johari, announced this decision on Monday, citing the refusal of Kenya aeronautical authorities to grant approval for all-cargo flight operations by Air Tanzania Company Limited.
The statement indicated that the ban applies to passenger flights operated by Kenya Airways (KQ) under Third and Fourth Freedom Traffic Rights between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.
According to Johari, this measure is in response to the denial of Tanzania's request for all-cargo flight operations by Air Tanzania Company Limited under Fifth Freedom Traffic Rights between Nairobi and Third countries.
This decision goes against the Memorandum of Understanding on Air Services between Tanzania and Kenya, signed on November 24, 2016, in Nairobi, Kenya.
As a result, starting January 22, 2024, Kenya Airways will not be permitted to operate passenger flights between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.
This move is expected to disrupt significant services in both countries. It is noteworthy that this is not the first time Tanzania has imposed a ban on Kenya Airways flights, with a similar occurrence in 2020 when Kenya excluded Tanzania from the list of countries allowed to fly into Kenya.
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