Magufuli unveils two new airplanes for Tanzania’s national carrier

Tanzania’s President John Magufuli on Wednesday commissioned two new commercial aircrafts for the East African country’s ailing national carrier.


The president has been keen to revamp the country’s airline which hasn’t been active, and is said to have had only one operational aircraft.

Commissioning the two brand new Canadian-made Bombardier-Dash Q400 planes, Magufuli said the planes will play a major role towards reviving the Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL).
The president cited poor management, persistent corruption within ATCL and lack of discipline among workers as some of the reasons for the airline’s downfall.

“These two planes are expected to fly in both local destinations and our neighbouring countries and boost the tourism industry,” said President Magufuli shortly before he commissioned the planes at the Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.

He said his government has enough money to acquire two more 160 and 242-seater commercial aircraft for trans-Atlantic flights.