Zanzibar announces plans for its own aircraft and airport upgrades

The government of Zanzibar plans to purchase an aircraft and is placing emphasis on improving the airport infrastructure, said Khalid Mohamed Salum, transport minister of the semi-autonomous region in Tanzania.

Salum said the Zanzibar government is focusing on improving infrastructure at Zanzibar and Pemba Wawi airports. According to the region’s five-year development plan, seen by ch-aviation, both airports face challenges due to increasing tourism, limited capacity, outdated facilities and inadequate emergency services. The government’s vision includes upgrading the airports to meet international standards and creating sustainable infrastructure. The key objectives are to increase air cargo from 67% to 80% and passenger capacity from 44% to 95% by 2025-26. Plans include upgrading Pemba, renovating Zanzibar Terminal 2, expanding cargo services and building helipads.

Meanwhile, Salum was quoted by local newspaper The Citizen as saying that the Tanzanian government was expecting the arrival of a third B787-8 for national carrier Air Tanzania (TC, Dar es Salaam) (ATCL) in Zanzibar, with another expected by mid-2025.

ADS-B data shows that the delivery of B787-8 5H-TCR (MSN 67792) was delayed from August 19, but it landed in Zanzibar from Charleston International at 18:01 local time (15:01 Z) on August 20. Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi welcomed the aircraft along with other dignitaries. According to ch-aviation’s fleet data, the aircraft was purchased by TGF – Tanzania Government Flight (Dar es Salaam) – from Boeing, which leases all government aircraft to Air Tanzania.

In a statement, Tanzanian Transport Minister Makame Mbarawa said the new B787-8 would enable ATCL to expand its network and frequencies. The 262-seat aircraft in a two-class configuration would open new routes to Kinshasa N’Djili and Goma (DR Congo), Lagos (Nigeria) and Muscat (Oman). The airline currently serves 13 domestic destinations. Its international connections include Entebbe (Uganda); Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta (Kenya); Bujumbura (Burundi); Moroni International (Comoros); Lubumbashi (DR Congo); Ndola International and Lusaka (Zambia); Harare International (Zimbabwe); Mumbai International (India); Guangzhou (China); and Dubai International (UAE).

With the addition of the B787-8, ATCL’s fleet now comprises 16 aircraft, including three B787-8 wide-body aircraft, one B767-300F wide-body freighter, two B737-9 narrow-body aircraft, four A220-300s (only one of which is in active service) and six regional turboprops (one DHC-8-Q300 and five DHC-8-Q400), according to ch-aviation’s fleet data.