Ministers cancel ATCL, KQ reciprocal flight ban moves

Hamza Johari, the Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) director general said in a public notice yesterday that the Kenyan authorities had moved to grant Air Tanzania Co. Ltd (ATCL) cargo flight the coveted ‘fifth freedom traffic right’ for all-cargo services, enabling the airline to pick up and drop off cargo in Kenya as part of its international flights.

Allowing ATCL to secure coveted cargo traffic rights at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and restoring KQ passenger routes between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, he said, affirming that this development demonstrates the spirit of cooperation and understanding between Tanzania and Kenya.

On Monday, TCAA issued a public notice of suspending KQ passenger flights between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, starting January 22 as a tit-for-tat move, following Kenya's denial of ATCL cargo flights from Nairobi to third countries.

The permit boosts for Air Tanzania's cargo operations, opening new trade opportunities, while showing sceptics that the two countries are more resilient in solving disputes than was the case in the regional grouping, the previous East African Community that collapsed early 1977.

Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation ministers weighed into the dispute early yesterday as the respective civil aviation authorities issued reciprocal bans on selected rights one airline has in the other country’s strategic airport facilities.

The reciprocal bans had sparked fears of a wider rift between the EAC member states, put to rest by a joint statement after consultations by the two ministers, where in separate posts on social media, January Makamba and Musalia Mudavadi emphasised their commitment to "working together to have the matter resolved amicably."

They stressed the importance of upholding existing agreements between the two countries, underlining that the recent restrictions on air travel were unacceptable. "There should be no cause for alarm," Makamba intoned, echoing similar sentiments from his Kenyan counterpart who affirmed an understanding that restrictions of air travel between the two countries and from either country to a third country must be revoked.

Observers noted that the abrupt ban on Kenya Airways flights had thrown travel plans into disarray, leaving passengers with journeys potentially cancelled and uncertain schedules.