Gerson Msigwa, the chief government spokesman, said in an interview yesterday that the plane is still in the United States and will make its way to Tanzania on Saturday.
The plane’s arrival will enable Air Tanzania Co. Ltd (ATCL) to compete globally, he said, noting that it will land at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) at midday or thereabouts.
The new cargo flight—Boeing 767-300F – is expected to uplift cargo freight within East Africa and beyond, bringing to 12 the number of ATCL planes making trips within the region and outside.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan is expected to lead scores of dignitaries in receiving the plane, he stated, with ATCL CEO Ladislaus Matindi upbeat on its business prospects.
He was later affirming that the government decided to purchase the cargo plane upon noticing great demand for cargo freight by air raised by businessmen.
Raymond Manyika, a senior ATCL cargo department official, says that on average, the airline transports 250 tonnes of cargo per month, mostly medical consignments lifted from Mumbai, the Indian business capital.
“From China we transport electronic equipment, car accessories and clothes,” he said, noting that transit cargo to Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Burundi and South Sudan is part of the cargo freights.
Seafood and avocado are transported from Dar to Mumbai, as India has a huge market for Tanzanian avocado, in a manner similar to airlifting flowers from the northern regions and from neighbouring Kenya, he said.
ATCL has 12 flights including five Bombardier Q400 , four Airbus A220, two Dreamliner B787, one Bombardier Q300 and one Q300 which is abroad for maintenance.
Its abroad routes include Nairobi, Entebbe, Bujumbura, Lubumbashi, Harare, Lusaka, Ndola, Comoro, Mumbai and Guangzhou commercial hub in China.
Local routes flights to Zanzibar, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Mwanza, Bukoba, Geita, Kigoma, Mpanda, Tabora, Dodoma, Mbeya, Songea and Mtwara, he added.
