At the turn of the year, Air France and the Royal Dutch Airlines, KLM were faced with a major decision to make – to either sign with the Zanzibar Airports Authority’s (ZAA) preferred ground handler Dnata Zanzibar or move out of Terminal 3 at Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (AAKIA).
Earlier on, in a notice dated September 14, ZAA had set January 19 as the deadline for all International airlines to either move to Terminal 2 or sign with Dnata Zanzibar.
The two airlines did neither.
They were not ready to oblige to the notice, as a result they sought to reverse the situation through the regulator but TCAA advised that their issue was being dealt with at a ministerial level.
With the clock ticking away, and the January 19, deadline fast approaching the two airlines were threatening to withdraw from Zanzibar and later cancel the inauguration of Air France flights to Dar es Salaam.
To date, whereas the other ground handler ZAT was thrown out of Terminal 3, the two airlines handled by Transworld still fly into Zanzibar’s Abeid Amani Karume International Airport operating three weekly flights each using Terminal Three building
Intervention
It has, however, emerged, that the Netherland and France sought a diplomatic solution to a standoff at the Abeid Aman Karume International Airport, warning that it could disrupt Air France and KLM flights into Zanzibar, and later Dar es Salaam.
The Dutch and France embassies in Tanzania have wrote to the government over the granting Dnata exclusive ground handling rights at the airport’s new Terminal 3 building.
In their joint official letter to the foreign ministry, ambassadors of the two countries revealed Air France and KLM woul cancel flights to Zanzibar and suspend Air France’s June 2023 inaugural flight launch to the Julius Nyerere International Airport, Dar es Salaam should the impasse not be amicably resolved.
The two foreign airlines have declined to work with Dnata Zanzibar as instructed by ZAA in its September 14 notice and also insisted on operating from Terminal 3, failure of which they could suspend operations in the country.
The letter by the embassies, a copy of which The Citizen has seen, was dated January 16, 2023 and copied to various ministries and entities on both sides of the union, the envoys cite security and insurance reasons for the airlines’ apprehension.
“We would like to point out that these changes will severely impact the joint operations of Air France and KLM in Zanzibar due to security and insurance issues and will result in suspending of flights to Zanzibar, and as well in June 2023 the opening of Air France flights into the Julius Nyerere International Airport,” wrote the two ambassadors.
They cite developments that have taken place since September 14, 2022, when Zanzibar Airports Authority (ZAA) demanded that all International Airlines flying into the Isles register with Dnata.
However, KLM and Air France protested the decision and informed the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) that they would not change their ground handler over an existing binding contract.
The two airlines further indicated they would continue operating from the new terminal 3 and not the old terminal 2 as ordered by the authorities. The current ground handler for KLM and Air France is Transworld Aviation Limited which is also has a Class II concession by ZAA, approved by TCAA.
The airlines started operating from terminal 3 in October 2021.
In his short remarks to The Citizen, Prof Mbarawa said such communications go through the foreign affairs docket and referred further queries to relevant authorities in Zanzibar.
“Letters that come from diplomatic missions pass through the ministry of foreign affairs. As I speak I have not received that letter. Regarding that matter, why don’t you go to Zanzibar,” Prof Mbarawa wrote in his SMS/WhatsApp reply.
But confidential sources within the ministries confirmed there has been exchanges within government about the issue by the two ministers on both sides of the Union, adding there is every possibility that it has now been escalated to levels as high as the cabinet.
The Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority Director General Hamza Johari, too, denied having received any such a letter as he was out of the country.
Apparently, it is a letter that nobody wants to own after Zanzibar’s Minister of Works, Communication and Transport Dr Khalid Mohammed declined to comment on the steps they have taken to address the airlines concern.
“This is not the right moment to speak about these issues, call me later,” he said as he hanged up, calls and messages were not answered.
When reached for comment France’s deputy head of mission Axel-David Guillon on the other hand declined to give details on the letter saying he could neither deny nor confirm that his embassy sent the letter to government.
“We do not meddle in any private matters concerning private businesses. But, as per our diplomatic mandate, we do send notices to the government concerning various issues. However, I can neither confirm nor deny whether we sent a letter to the Tanzanian government regarding the Dnata issue,” Mr Guillon told The Citizen
On their part, Trans World Aviation Limited admitted to receiving verbal notification by the two airlines’ representatives of any eventualities.
An interviewee at the company who wished to remain anonymous said the impasse would severely impact their business. The Citizen can confirm that Air France executives were in the country over the weekend to meet its ground handlers.
But even with the September 14, 2022, notice still standing, and authorities adamant that whoever wants to use Terminal 3 has to do so under Dnata, it remains unclear whether ZAA bowed to the two airlines’ demand.
In another development, the High Court in Dar es Salaam on Thursday, struck out an application in which Transworld Aviation, a ground handler at the Abeid Aman Karume International Airport was seeking permission to sue the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA).
The company filed an application in the court requesting for permission to open a judicial review against TCAA’s decision to approve the agreement between the Zanzibar Airports Authority (ZAA) and Dnata Zanzibar Aviation Services Company Limited.
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Air Tanzania Banned From EU Airspace Due to Safety Concerns
Several airports have since locked Air Tanzania, dealing a severe blow to the Tanzanian national carrier that must now work overtime to regain its certification or go the wet lease way
The European Commission has announced the inclusion of Air Tanzania on the EU Air Safety List, effectively banning the airline from operating in European airspace.
The decision, made public on December 16, 2024, is based on safety concerns identified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which also led to the denial of Air Tanzania’s application for a Third Country Operator (TCO) authorisation.
The Commission did not go into the specifics of the safety infringement but industry experts suggest it is possible that the airline could have flown its Airbus A220 well past its scheduled major checks, thus violating the airworthiness directives.
“The decision to include Air Tanzania in the EU Air Safety List underscores our unwavering commitment to ensuring the highest safety standards for passengers in Europe and worldwide,” said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism.
“We strongly urge Air Tanzania to take swift and decisive action to address these safety issues. I have offered the Commission’s assistance to the Tanzanian authorities in enhancing Air Tanzania’s safety performance and achieving full compliance with international aviation standards.”
Air Tanzania has a mixed fleet of modern aircraft types including Boeing 787s, 737 Max jets, and Airbus A220s.
It has been flying the B787 Dreamliner to European destinations like Frankfurt in Germany and Athens in Greece and was looking to add London to its growing list with the A220.
But the ban not only scuppers the London dream but also has seen immediate ripple effect, with several airports – including regional like Kigali and continental – locking out Air Tanzania.
Tanzania operates KLM alongside the national carrier.
The European Commission said Air Tanzania may be permitted to exercise traffic rights by using wet-leased aircraft of an air carrier which is not subject to an operating ban, provided that the relevant safety standards are complied with.
A wet lease is where an airline pays to use an aircraft with a crew, fuel, and insurance all provided by the leasing company at a fee.
Two more to the list
The EU Air Safety List, maintained to ensure passenger safety, is updated periodically based on recommendations from the EU Air Safety Committee.
The latest revision, which followed a meeting of aviation safety experts in Brussels from November 19 to 21, 2024, now includes 129 airlines.
Of these, 100 are certified in 15 states where aviation oversight is deemed insufficient, and 29 are individual airlines with significant safety deficiencies.
Alongside Air Tanzania, other banned carriers include Air Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe), Avior Airlines (Venezuela), and Iran Aseman Airlines (Iran).
Commenting on the broader implications of the list, Tzitzikostas stated, “Our priority remains the safety of every traveler who relies on air transport. We urge all affected airlines to take these bans seriously and work collaboratively with international bodies to resolve the identified issues.”
In a positive development, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been cleared to resume operations in the EU following a four-year suspension. The ban, which began in 2020, was lifted after substantial improvements in safety performance and oversight by PIA and the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).
“Since the TCO Authorisation was suspended, PIA and PCAA have made remarkable progress in enhancing safety standards,” noted Tzitzikostas. “This demonstrates that safety issues can be resolved through determination and cooperation.”
Another Pakistani airline, Airblue Limited, has also received EASA’s TCO authorisation.
Decisions to include or exclude airlines from the EU Air Safety List are based on rigorous evaluations of international safety standards, particularly those established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
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The process involves thorough review and consultation among EU Member State aviation safety experts, with oversight from the European Commission and support from EASA.
“Where an airline currently on the list believes it complies with the required safety standards, it can request a reassessment,” explained Tzitzikostas. “Our goal is not to penalize but to ensure safety compliance globally.”
Airlines listed on the EU Air Safety List face significant challenges to their international operations, as the bans highlight shortcomings in safety oversight by their home regulatory authorities.
For Air Tanzania, this inclusion signals an urgent need for reform within Tanzania’s aviation sector to address these deficiencies and align with global standards.
The path forward will require immediate and sustained efforts to rectify safety concerns and regain access to one of the world’s most critical aviation markets.
Source: allafrica.com
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