Kenya Airways (KQ) has revealed that it is currently in talks with the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) to have it revise its decision to bar the national carrier from its airspace.

KQ issued the swift response on Monday after TCAA announced its decision to withdraw its approvals for passenger flights by the Kenyan airline between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.

In a public notice issued on January 15, 2024, the Tanzanian aviation regulator declared the rescission of KQ's operating privileges on the Nairobi-Dar route effective January 22, 2024.

“Kenya Airways (KQ) is aware of the Public Notice issued by the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority on 15th January 2024, rescinding the approvals of KQ to operate passenger flights between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam effective 22nd January 2024,” KQ said in the notice.

The cash-troubled Kenyan airline disclosed that it is in talks with TCAA, Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) and other relevant Government agencies in both Kenya and Tanzania.

Read More

  1. KQ suspends flights to DRC in tiff over detention of two workers in Kinshasa
  2. Diplomatic barney simmering as Kenya protests detention of two KQ staff in DRC
  3. KQ protests detention of two employees by DRC military intelligence in Kinshasa

The move by KQ is an effort to navigate the aviation diplomatic tiff that threatens to disrupt its lucrative passenger flights business between Nairobi and Dar as it fights yearly losses.

“Kenya Airways is engaging the Civil Aviation Authorities and relevant government agencies in Kenya and Tanzania to find a solution that will ensure there are no flight disruptions between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam,” added KQ.

Kenya’s Prime CS and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Musalia Mudavadi assured that the aviation diplomatic row pitting TCAA against KCAA would be resolved within three days.

Mudavadi called for calm among Kenyans saying he had made a call to his Tanzanian counterpart, January Makamba, concerning the far-reaching decision on KQ flights.

“I have this evening spoken to H.E. @JMakamba (MP), Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation of the United Republic of Tanzania, with regard to the decision of the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority to rescind the approvals for @KenyaAirways to operate passenger flights between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam with effect from 22nd January 2024,” revealed Mudavadi.

He assred: “We have jointly agreed that our respective Civil Aviation Authorities will work together to have the matter resolved amicably within the next three days. There should therefore be no cause for alarm.”

In the statement earlier Monday, Tanzania said its move to bar KQ from landing at the Dar Airport was revenge for KCAA blocking Air Tanzania from operating cargo flights to Nairobi.