Tanzania Bans Kenya Airways From Flying Into The Country

Tanzania has banned Kenya Airways from flying into the country with effect from Monday next week after Kenya refused a request by Air Tanzania to operate cargo flights from Nairobi to third countries.

“Tanzania has decided to rescind the approvals for Kenya Airways (KQ) to operate passenger flights between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam … with effect from 22 January 2024,” the Managing Director of the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA), Hamza Johari, said in a public notice.

“This is to reciprocate the decision by the aeronautical authorities of the Republic of Kenya to refuse the Tanzanian request for all-cargo flight operations by Air Tanzania Company Limited … between Nairobi and third counties.”

Johari said Kenya’s refusal to allow Air Tanzania’s cargo operations from Nairobi is contrary to an MoU on Air Services signed by the two countries in 2016.

Kenya’s move also contravenes the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Fifth Freedom Traffic Rights, he said.

The fifth freedom gives airlines the ability to carry passengers and cargo from one foreign country to another while en route to or from a home country.

This means that Air Tanzania’s cargo plane should have permission to pick up cargo in Nairobi on its way to and from other countries.

In 2020, Tanzania took a similar move to ban KQ flights after Kenya blocked Air Tanzania from flying to Nairobi during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two neighbouring countries have recurring on-again off-again trade disputes, despite being members of the East African Community (EAC), which aims to promote seamless movement of people and goods in the trade bloc.