AN Air Tanzaniai Boeing 767-300 cargo plane has received approval from the Chinese aviation regulators to begin transporting cargo from Dar es Salaam to Guangzhou.

The plane has a cargo capacity of 54 tonnes and can fly for up to 10 hours without refuelling, while its flight to the Chinese special economic zone city is expected in the coming weeks, top officials say.

Prof Makame Mbarawa, the Transport minister, made the announcement at the weekend during the launch of the airline’s first route to South Africa, urging the management to ensure the cargo flights to China begin promptly.

This is in response to the growing demand for such services between the two countries, he said, noting that there are significant amount of cargo that needs to be transported to Tanzania on a routine basis, in China. 

“We’ve fought long and hard to secure permission, and now that we have it, we must not delay any further,” he emphasised, underlining unwavering commitment to strengthening the airline.

There are plans to allocate funds in the 2024/25 budget for the purchase of three additional planes—two short-haul where one is medium-haul, and one cargo plane.

“The government has worked tirelessly to strengthen the airline, and we now have 16 planes. This new investment must deliver results,” he asserted, asking the management to assess international routes carefully to ensure profitable trips.

There is need to improve the airline’s business strategy, reducing operating costs and losses, he stated.

Peter Ulanga, the airline’s executive director, pointed at the restoration of direct flights to South Africa, providing much-needed relief to passengers.

The service will further strengthen economic ties between the two countries, he said, affirming that ATCL currently operates flights to 25 destinations, where 13 are within Tanzania.

“The new flights to South Africa have reduced the travel time from six hours to three hours, as passengers no longer need to stop in other countries en route,” he said.

 “Given the strong demand, we plan to operate flights five times a week. Passengers are encouraged to book tickets through our networks.”

Since the arrival of the Boeing 767-300F cargo plane in June 2023, Air Tanzania has been transporting a variety of goods, including cars, minerals, medicines, furniture, spare parts and perishable products like fruits, meat and seafood. 

These cargoes are being transported to and from several countries, including Chad, India, the UAE, Kenya, Congo, Zambia and Uganda, he added.