Hours after Tanzania issued a ban on passenger flights by Kenya Airways (KQ) to Dar es Salam, the two countries’ foreign ministers said, on Monday, January 15, that they agreed to resolve the dispute within three days. Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) said the ban, which would take effect on January 22, was issued in retaliation to Kenya’s rejection of a request by Air Tanzania Company Limited to operate all-cargo flights to Nairobi and third countries. ALSO READ: Tanzania suspends Kenya Airways flights to Dar es Salaam In a post on X, Tanzania’s Foreign Minister January Makamba said he discussed the issue with his Kenyan counterpart Musalia Mudavadi. “We agree that restrictions of air travel between our countries and from any of our country to a third country shouldn’t stand,” Makamba said. “With relevant authorities, we’ve resolved to settle this issue, per existing agreements, within 3 days.” In another post, Mudavadi said: “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.” Shortly after the ban, Kenya Airways, which operates 33 scheduled flights per week between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, said it was engaging Kenyan and Tanzanian authorities “to find a solution that will ensure there are no flight disruptions.” Statement on Passenger Flights Between Nairobi and Dar es Salaam pic.twitter.com/des8GVdHep — Kenya Airways (@KenyaAirways) January 15, 2024 TCAA Director General Hamza Johari had said Kenya’s decision to reject Tanzania’s request violated a section of an agreement on air services signed by the two countries in November 2016. The section provides for reciprocal treatment of airlines from both countries. Johari said Tanzania was committed to bilateral agreements and international aviation regulations. It was not the first time Tanzania suspended flights by the Kenyan carrier. In August 2020, Tanzania banned KQ flights for a brief period after Kenya excluded its southern neighbour from a list of countries whose citizens could enter without Covid-19 quarantine restrictions.
