Tanzania: Magufuli’s Restructuring of Airliner Pays off
- Welcomes Newest Boeing 787-8 to roar East African Sky
- Purchases 7 aircrafts in barely 2.5 years
- Two Dreamliners to Boost Tourism in Tanzania
By Staff Contributors – Dar es Salaam and Nairobi: 8-7-2018: TANZANIA today (8-7-2018) welcomed the largest and most modern in the fleet of seven (7) aircrafts in the East African and global sky family amid plans to boost tourism sector in Tanzania.
The new aircraft, Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which flew direct from Seattle in the USA, received a grand reception led by President John Pombe Magufuli in the presence of Inmi Patterson, Acting US Ambassador to Tanzania.
A vivid magic performance by the Magufuli administration, the Dreamliner brings the number of new aircrafts in operation, purchased on cash money to four out of seven in just 2.5 years.
“I sincerely thank God to enable us witness this historic occasion. Again I thank God for bringing our aircraft, making it land safely on our soil,” said President Magufuli amid cheers and ululations.
The CCM election manifesto had one of the elections promises to revamp the state airline company. Dr Magufuli has delivered the promise in just 2.5 years, the speed that is unusual in most African countries.
Tanzania is ready for Change to serious business
“This is a clear testimony of our resolve as a people; that Tanzanians were capable of making things happen when determined,” he said signaling that Tanzania was ready for serious business.
The President who was exceptionally overjoyed and jubilant, the aircraft was a significant milestone in delivering one of the election promises, adding that “this achievement is shared by all Tanzanians because this Dreamliner was purchased by your taxes.”
When sworn in office on 5 November 2012, Tanzania’s flag carrier, Air Tanzania, had only one aircraft with barely 50 seating capacity. With President Magufuli in office, the airline together with most other public corporate once performing poorly, received new lease of life, some were already returning dividend to the Government for the first time in 15 years.
The airline with a troubled past, is steadily stabilizing with a fleet of new aircrafts starting to dominate Tanzania sky, splashing a promising future for a very competitive regional airline.
Direct flight from Seattle, USA
The aircraft which left Seattle Airport at 0121hrs today, touched down in Dar es Salaam at 1700hours at Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA). During the taxing, the plane received a deserved water salute at the airport’s Terminal One. The multitude showed up to witness the historic milestone.
The newest aircraft in the region brings Air Tanzania fleet to seven with three orders due to arrive in November this year and January 2020, respectively.
Three Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircrafts purchased from Canada’s Bombardier Inc., each with a seating capacity of 76, fly to 10 domestic destinations. The dreamliner expects to make domestic test route flights to Kilimanjaro, Mwanza and Dar es Salaam airports until this September.
Air Tanzania resumes International Flights in 10 years
Beginning September this year, Air Tanzania will resume international flights it suspended nearly a decade ago. President Magufuli unveiled this during inauguration of the dreamliner.
He said the first confirmed international routes were Bombay (India), Bangkok (Thailand), Guangzhou (China) and later in the United Kingdom.
Two more aircrafts ordered, CS300 jetliners at US$200 million, were expected in the country in November 2018. The second Boeing 787 Dreamliner also purchased from the same Seattle manufacturer at a list price of $224.6 million was also expected in January 2020.
The 787-8 is a family of technologically advanced, super-efficient airplanes with new passenger-pleasing features. It also provides unmatched fuel efficiency and environmental performance, using 20 to 25 percent less fuel and fewer emissions than those it replaces
Air Tanzania made flights in Tanzania affordable
Previously many people in Tanzania could not afford flying due to higher travel costs. When Precision Air dominated Tanzania sky travels, the flying cost was high.
When a low cost airline, Fastjet opened Tanzania’s skies, the price dropped a bit but the troubled airline could fly to only four domestic destinations. The demand remained high.
Air Tanzania which currently flies to 12 destinations, had pushed down flight costs to more than 50% with the advent of bombardiers.
In his speech, Dr Magufuli disclosed that Tanzania was planning to construct new airports to expand air travel coverage and markets in the country. Tanzania has a larger land mass to support lucrative air business compared to most African countries in the region.
The 787-8 with 262 seating capacity, will significantly increase passenger numbers feeding on to the domestic flights when goes international, thereby boosting overall tourism to Tanzania.
It is expected to increase Tanzania’s market share in the region’s air transport. Before restructuring the airliner, Tanzania had only 2.5% market share in airline business which was the lowest in the region.
All these achievements were traced to the restructuring which are being undertaken by President Magufuli, using his model described simply as Management Efficiency.
Promotion of Tourism
Tanzania holds vast tourism potential. One of the barriers to its development was the absence of a national direct flight to Dar es Salaam. Most tourists charter planes to Kilimanjaro for tourism because there is no direct flight from all Western capitals.
“Tanzania is the second nation in the world with most fascinating tourism heritage sites but we are visited barely by 1.3 million tourists,” he said adding that direct flights to Tanzania would obviously increase a number of tourists.
US Ambassador Inmi Patterson vows support
Speaking in fluent Swahili, Acting US Ambassador to Tanzania, Inmi Patterson said she was proud that the American company offered a significant contribution for Tanzania’s social and economic development.
“We remain committed to cooperate in building a prosperous Tanzania with sustainable economic growth and development,” she remarked when President Magufuli invited her to speak to the audience. She also speaks fluent Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Russian, French and German.
Challenges in Airline Business
Every development milestones were not without their challenges. The President said the industry faced some HR challenges. He said the region and Tanzania in particular experienced serious shortages of pilots, aircraft engineers and professional air attendants.
“In order to mitigate the shortfall, we have formulated strategies that would enable us train more local pilots, aircraft engineers and airline attendants as the demand for their services expands with increased air transport services in the region,” he said.
Dr Magufuli proves that all things were possible in Africa if one was determinant, dedicated, resilient and disciplined. The President, who showcases business acumenship coupled with a vision, was open for serious business with a new working culture.
He is turning a number of loss making organizations into profitable enterprises. The airline was crumbled until Dr Magufuli came to power to revive it and assumed a different management model. Air Tanzania is likely to grow to become one of efficient Airliners in Africa.
This time again, Tanzania’s President Dr John Pombe Magufuli showcases his magic model which stabilizes a highway to Africa’s world-class management of state corporations for sustainable economic development. As Dr Magufuli puts it, “Tanzania can make it happen if determined.”
The Authors are both business analysts and media consultant formally with the Nation Media. They are based in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi in Kenya.
