Tanzania’s 2026/27 aviation programme includes major allocations for Air Tanzania Company Limited (ATCL), covering aircraft procurement, spare engines, hangar rehabilitation, operational strengthening, cargo infrastructure, ICT systems, and practical pilot training equipment.
For the 2026/27 financial year, ATCL has been allocated TZS 185.32 billion in domestic funding for aircraft, aircraft engines, and hangar rehabilitation.
A separate funding allocation of TZS 97.73 billion has been dedicated to new maintenance hangars, the procurement of aircraft equipment and spare parts, and practical pilot training equipment—specifically simulators—for the Dash 8 Q400 fleet.
Air Tanzania’s Performance and Economic Impact
The Tanzanian government has actively championed the revival of ATCL since 2015. Over the longer term, the airline’s fleet has grown from a single aircraft in 2016 to 16 aircraft today, while passenger numbers surged from 107,166 in 2016/17 to 1,178,025 in 2024/25.
so noThis upward trajectory continues in current-year performance. From July 2025 to March 2026, ATCL transported 1,072,528 passengers, compared with 876,357 passengers during the same period in the 2024/25 financial year, representing a 22.38% increase.
Of these passengers, 750,452 travelled domestically and 322,076 flew on international routes.
In terms of cargo operations, Tanzania’s broader aviation sector moved a total of 34,750.2 tonnes of freight between July 2025 and March 2026; of this national total, Air Tanzania (ATCL) transported 4,129.72 tonnes.
Freight was moved across scheduled service points, including Dar es Salaam, Nairobi, Zanzibar, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as on charter flights driven by customer demand to destinations such as Guangzhou, China, and Mumbai, India.
Financially, ATCL’s internal revenue has seen an increase, jumping from TZS 23 billion in 2016/17 to TZS 595.7 billion for the full 2024/25 financial year. Furthermore, during the nine-month period between July 2025 and March 2026, the airline collected TZS 501.62 billion, outperforming the TZS 449.90 billion collected during the same period the previous year.
ATCL utilised this revenue to successfully cover its own operational expenses, spending TZS 240 billion on fuel, TZS 157 billion on aircraft maintenance, and TZS 87 billion on salaries.
The airline’s broader economic contributions have also scaled significantly. Its tax contribution rose from TZS 2.4 billion in 2016/17 to TZS 52.35 billion in 2024/25. Additionally, ATCL has become a vital source of foreign exchange for Tanzania, with earnings increasing from US9.85 million in 2017/18 to approximately US157.7 million in 2024/25.
From July 2025 to March 2026 alone, foreign exchange collected by ATCL totalled US129.71 million, up from US104.53 million during the same period in the previous financial year.
This robust revival has stimulated activity across other vital sectors, including tourism, agriculture, trade, and mining.
The airline’s route network has expanded from just four destinations in 2015/16 to 33 by March 2026.
Employment has grown correspondingly, from 171 employees in 2016/17 to 1,148 employees in March 2026, including 142 pilots, a significant leap from just 13 in 2016/17.
This continuous improvement enables Tanzania to promote itself regionally and internationally, retaining its status as one of the few Sub-Saharan African nations operating a national flag carrier.
In the 2026/27 financial year, ATCL has set an ambitious target to collect TZS 1.09 trillion from passenger and cargo transport activities across existing and newly introduced destinations.
Current Route Network
Currently, ATCL operates across 33 air transport service destinations, with procedures ongoing to resume flights to Geita.
- The domestic network comprises 16 destinations: Arusha, Bukoba, Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Geita, Kilimanjaro, Kigoma, Mbeya, Mpanda, Mwanza, Iringa, Mtwara, Songea, Tabora, Pemba, and Zanzibar.
- The regional network comprises 14 destinations: Bujumbura, Entebbe, Cape Town, Kinshasa, Victoria Falls, Accra, Lagos, Hahaya, Harare, Lusaka, Ndola, Nairobi, Lubumbashi, and Johannesburg.
- The international network comprises three destinations: Dubai, Guangzhou, and Mumbai
Moving forward, ATCL plans to expand its total network from 33 to 47 destinations.
Fleet and Engine Procurement
During the 2025/26 financial year, the government, through ATCL, continued procedures to procure two Dash 8 Q400 aircraft. It also completed the purchase of one spare engine for the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner and made an advance payment for a Boeing 737-9 spare engine.
The strategic availability of spare engines is intended to keep aircraft operational during planned engine maintenance, alongside ongoing improvements to the airline’s aviation operations manuals.
The current fleet comprises 16 aircraft:
- Four long-haul aircraft: Three Boeing 787-8 passenger aircraft and one Boeing 767-300F cargo aircraft.
- Six medium-haul aircraft: Four Airbus A220-300 aircraft and two Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft.
- Six short-haul aircraft: Five Dash 8 Q400 aircraft and one Dash 8 Q300 aircraft.
For 2026/27, the TZS 185.32 billion domestic funding allocation will cover the procurement of aircraft and aircraft engines, hangar rehabilitation, and the operationalisation of new aircraft to support the commencement of services upon arrival.
Specifically, this funding covers final payments towards two aircraft and advance payments for two additional Dash 8 Q400s.
Maintenance, Hangars, and Technical Support Capacity
In a strategic move to save foreign currency and reduce overseas maintenance costs, ATCL is developing the capacity to service its own aircraft. The airline is actively developing the facilities required to support this shift.
At Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA), contractors have been secured for a new aircraft maintenance hangar, an equipment and spare parts stores facility, and a cargo storage warehouse, with implementation currently in the initial stages. Concurrently, rehabilitation work is underway on existing aircraft maintenance hangars at JNIA and Kilimanjaro International Airport (KIMAFA). Together, these new and rehabilitated facilities are expected to empower ATCL to carry out both minor and major aircraft maintenance in-country.
For 2026/27, funding will also support hangar rehabilitation at JNIA and KIMAFA, further hangar development at JNIA, the procurement of aircraft equipment and spare parts, ICT systems, an equipment storage building, and practical pilot training equipment for the Dash 8 Q400 aircraft. The separate ATCL operations strengthening project has been allocated TZS 97.73 billion to specifically fund these and other vital operational-support components
Strategic Outlook
The 2026/27 strategic investment plan outlines a clear operational pathway for Air Tanzania’s continued development. By expanding its fleet, targeting a 47-destination network, and building in-country maintenance capabilities to reduce foreign currency expenditures, ATCL is actively working toward operational self-sufficiency. Supported by major infrastructure allocations and a revenue target of TZS 1.09 trillion for the coming year, the airline is positioning itself as a highly competitive carrier in the regional market.
