Tanzania's Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) has revoked the right of Kenya Airways (KQ, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta) to operate third and fourth freedom passenger flights between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam effective next week.
"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 (TC, Dar es Salaam) 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 November 24, 2016, in Nairobi, Kenya," a January 15 notice signed by the TCAA's Director General reads. "Following this decision, there shall be no passenger flights by Kenya Airways between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam from January 22, 2024."
According to the ch-aviation schedules module, Kenya Airways operates between three and four roundtrips per day on the city pair using E190s. The airline said in a statement that it was "engaging the Civil Aviation Authorities and 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."
Aside from Kenya Airways, which also operates two weekly B737-300(F) roundtrips on the sector, three other operators fly the route on a scheduled basis, with Air Tanzania running a daily DHC-8-Q400 roundtrip passenger service, freight operator Astral Aviation (8V, Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta) having twice-weekly B757-200(PCF) return flights, and Tanzanian carrier Precision Air (PW, Dar es Salaam) operating several daily roundtrips on the city pair using ATR72-500s, albeit all either via Zanzibar or Kilimanjaro.
The flight ban is the latest in a series of trade disputes between East African nations which had previously signed up to the East African Community trade bloc.
