Kenya Airways in Talks to Support Tanzania's Aviation after EU Ban
- The European Union (EU) banned Tanzanian airlines from operating in its airspaces in early June
- The EU explained some of the shortcomings that led to the inclusion of Tanzania in the EU's safety list
- Kenya Airways CEO Allan Kilavuka told TUKO.co.ke that the best approach for African airlines is to collaborate and support each other
Elijah Ntongai, an editor at TUKO.co.ke, has over four years of financial, business, and technology research and reporting experience, providing insights into Kenyan, African, and global trends.
Kenya Airways is in talks to lend support to Tanzanian airlines following the recent ban by the European Union (EU).
Source: Twitter
On June 3, the European Union updated the EU Air Safety List, adding Tanzania and Suriname to the airlines that are no longer allowed to operate in the EU because they did not meet the set international standards.
The EU stated that the decision was based on serious safety concerns identified during assessments conducted by European Union aviation safety experts and noted that the civil aviation authorities in Tanzania and Suriname failed to ensure compliance with international safety standards for air carriers.
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The EU highlighted operational and regulatory shortcomings such as a shortage of qualified personnel, ineffective oversight processes in flight operations and airworthiness, and non-compliance with international safety standards by both countries' civil aviation authorities and certified air carriers.
Kenya Airways to support TZ aviation
Speaking during a media roundtable, Kenya Airways CEO Allan Kilavuka emphasised the need for African airlines to collaborate to ensure sustainable and successful operations.
He noted that the airline is in talks with aviation stakeholders in Tanzania to find out areas where Kenya Airways can provide support to ensure they meet the set standards.
"We have been in discussions to support Air Tanzania. To help them improve in the areas that were identified as an issue. We want to sign an MOU so we can work with them. African airlines are very small (compared to other global airlines), so the best approach is to collaborate. We have not come up with an agreement yet, but we are in discussions. In fact, we are encouraging the KCAA (Kenya Civil Aviation Authority) to support TCAA (Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority) in the process. We will benefit, and so will they," Kilavuka responded to a query from TUKO.co.ke.
Kenya Airways operations in Tanzania
Notably, Kenya Airways owns a subsidiary, Precision Air, operating flights in Tanzania.
Precision Air Services Plc is a Tanzanian airline based at Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam.
The airline operates scheduled passenger services to Nairobi and Comoros and to various airports and airstrips in Tanzania, serving the tourism market in particular.
Source: Twitter
Kenya Airways EASA certification
In other news, Kenya Airways received the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Part-145 certification, allowing it to offer maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services to aircraft registered in Europe.
CEO Kilavuka described the approval as a game-changer, noting it enhances confidence among international carriers and positions KQ as the only jet operator in Kenya with this certification.
The certification also boosts Kenya Airways' credibility in operational and aircraft maintenance standards, placing it in a position to offer any needed support to Tanzania's aviation sector.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
