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| Dr Tizeba (r) and Mr Winter at JNIA |
The Tanzania Airports Authority (TAA) has been challenged to
adequately expand Mwanza and Kilimanjaro airports to cope with the expected
increase of passengers.
Deputy Minister for Transport Dr Charles Tizeba threw the
challenge in Dar es Salaam at the launch of Fastjet’s low cost service.
He said that with the inauguration of the low cost carrier,
the number of passengers will go up tremendously, thus a need to improve
facilities at the two airports.
He asked Fastjet to make sure that its customers are aware
of the difference in services with conventional air services currently being
offered by other companies. He said the government is impressed that Fastjet
has chosen Julius Nyerere International Airport as its base in Africa in
providing low cost domestic and regional air transport services.
Said he: “The government recognizes the need for the low
cost air operations and its immense contribution of the air transport industry
in the country and the overall development of the economy.”
He assured the
investors that the government would continue with its role of policy
formulation, strategic target setting, regulation, monitoring and evaluation of
air transport services while business aspects in the industry are left to the
private sector.
He assured the operators that the government would continue
with the improvement of infrastructure to ensure that the industry operates
efficiently.
He said the government has attracted investment in infrastructure
development and has put in place requisite environment for private sector’s involvement
in infrastructure development and air service provision which go hand in hand
with legal and regulatory reforms.
He said the government recognizes the fact that an improved
air service is critical to opening up development of its economy by strengthening
competition, promoting trade, tourism and foreign direct investment apart from
contributing immensely to the government revenues.
He said that following the recent launch of Mpanda airport
to provide easy access to the western part of the country, the ministry is
working round the clock to beat the December deadline to open the Songwe
International airport in Mbeya this year.
He said Fastjet’s fleet of A319 for flights between Julius
Nyerere International Airport and Mwanza and Kilimanjaro and later to other
regional destinations would increase the capacity of the routes and eventually
support the government’s efforts towards transforming Julius Nyerere
International Airport into a regional aviation hub.
On his part, Fastjet Chief Executive Officer, Mr Edward
Winter said they would use Dar es Salaam as the first base and would
subsequently open second one in Nairobi early next year. He said Fastjet's
homogenous fleet will only consist of A319 planes which are fuel efficient and
environmentally friendly.
Fastjet which has acquired Fly 540 and has European based
Easyjet as shareholder, aspires to become a Pan-African low cost carrier. He
said three aircrafts will be flying to Mwanza and Arusha from Dar es Salaam
twice each day as the company plans to revolutionize air travel in the country.
The airline will also subsequently fly similar low cost planes in Angola, Ghana
and Kenya, he added.
Source: The Daily News, www.dailynews.co.tz, reported by Orton Kiishweko in Dar es Salaam
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